I am Dragon (Dragon Fires Rising Book 2)

by Marc Secchia

  Gnarr, he berated himself. “I apologise. That was every bit as intrusive as I’ve always promised I would never be. Your feelings were so clear this time … still! Sorry. I wonder if working together has made us more sensitive to one another?”

  “I’ve noticed a few things emanating from you too, Dragon, but I’ve been trying very hard to bite my lip.”

  “Well, that definitely makes you the bigger creature.”

  “Bigger? Bigger?” Inzashu spluttered.

  Suddenly, they all saw the funny side of a serious conversation. Dragon sniggered at his slip-up, Azania pretended to become all huffy about how Inzashu was clearly the bigger, older and wiser person and she would forever be doomed to live in her little sister’s shadow, and with that, their rapid-fire interjections became very, very silly indeed. Dragon laughed so hard he began to hiccough, forcing him to have to dive outside to let rip with a mighty snort of fire. That set Azania off. She had the best laugh when she truly let go; an infectious, throaty gurgle that kept setting everyone else off. Even Chalice came over to join in the fun.

  How beautiful a paws for laughter, Dragon told her.

  Hilarity!

  Not so great for the flowerbeds outside, however. They suffered a rather dreadful fate.

  * * * *

  The following morning, Princess Yuali took the royal sisters for a guided tour of the fortress city. Time to show off the dark-skinned infidels from the desert to the marvelling populace, Dragon muttered sourly.

  Azania brought back a rather less testy report. Exhibit number one, two foreign Princesses – the older dressed in very decorous Princess attire for a change; a gorgeous deep red gown that suited her literally to the ground – had received a rapturous reception. Flowers, cheering and an honour parade around the city. These Humans. Always an excuse for some sort of party or occasion whereupon they would dress up and behave in lunatic ways. Truly astonishing.

  “And here I thought the peasants were rioting,” he sniped.

  Yuali’s eyes popped wide.

  “They tend to do that around Dragons,” he confided. “We torch their barns and they come after us with pitchforks and axes.”

  “Nothing like that in this kingdom,” Azania put in hastily.

  He purred, “Of course not. The citizenry is wonderfully well behaved. However, our Yardi has only managed to entice one blacksmith from an entire kingdom into a future of glorious riches. Blacksmith plus wife, to be fair. That is a poor performance from Amboraine, Highness.”

  His Princess gave him a fierce glare. “Stop winding everyone up. Chances are very good they will send a strong army down south.”

  “Trying to defuse the tension around here.”

  “If you want to go defuse something, would you take a quick scout and tell us how soon the King will be here?”

  As if triggered by her words, a trumpet fanfare resounded from the highest tower of the castle. Dragon eyed it with interest. He liked high towers, especially those that claimed to be the highest tower in the land. In particular, he liked what he had found inside one just recently. Pleasant memories!

  Endless trouble, mind.

  Only the best sort of trouble. The kind of trouble that got a Dragon all fired up – polish up his finest evil Dragon laugh, hurgh-hurgh-urgh! Maybe the King should be greeted with the sight of a huge white Dragon sunning himself atop his tower.

  No, he was a sick man. Where had that nasty idea popped up from?

  Suddenly, the trumpets rang with a completely different sound. Urgent. Stirring!

  “What’s that?” he snapped.

  “It’s an alarm – someone must be attacking the King’s party!” the blonde Princess cried. “Oh, Dragon –”

  “Azania. Chalice. With me!”

  Ten seconds later, he launched out of the castle courtyard as if he had been shot from a Dragon bow. Never mind sunning himself atop a tower. He had a much better greeting in mind for King Harilan.

  One that involved decimating his enemies.

  Chapter 14: Dragon Fires Rising

  WITH YUALI’S FINAL CRY about bandits ringing in his ears, Dragon was more than startled by his initial view of the battle site. The King’s party, carrying the royal white banners of Amboraine, must have just emerged from the treeline about two miles from the city when they had come under attack by what struck him as a compact but well-organised army. Actual knights. Not ragtag bandits. He concluded as much even from a distance, by the colours of their armour and the well-ordered deployment of troops.

  He pointed his fore-talon. “Renegade lord fielding a proper army?”

  “Looks like it,” Azania said.

  “Where’s the King?”

  “He’s on a pallet right in the centre. See where his cavalry have encircled him? They’re trying to get him aboard a horse or he might be crushed by the hooves.”

  “We’ve – probably – a hundred knights riding in support from the city,” Chalice called over.

  On the negative side, there were plenty of light cavalry already at play upon the field of battle, with azure blazes on their shields and uniforms. They fanned out rapidly, engaging the rearguard of the King’s column as they rushed to form ranks and resist.

  “That’s good, but our allies will be too slow,” he said. “Chalice, I’m going to do my sprint. Will you come in behind and mop up anything I leave with extreme prejudice?”

  “Done. Go, Dragon.”

  Drawing a deep breath, he threw his power into the flight. He accelerated so hard, Azania, who had not had time even to throw a saddle onto his neck, had to cling on for dear life. She had her bow and arrows, however, having been armed with the intent of going target shooting. This would be high speed practice. Minus a saddle or belt to hold her on.

  She hiked up her dress and clung on with her feet and knees. “The reason I wear trousers is – this!” she shouted angrily.

  “I know. Careful, alright? You’re not wearing armour either.”

  “You’re as soft as a hatchling, Dragon.”

  Grrr! “Totally forgot. Thanks for the reminder.”

  “Use your fire as much as possible. They’ve a detachment of archers just at the treeline. What else? Foot soldiers engaging the King’s Guard, and – I make that at least forty heavy knights and up to a hundred light cavalry. They’re going to try a charge to break through to the King.”

  “I see that.”

  He did not know a great deal about cavalry tactics, but he had read about the use of heavy cavalry to break enemy lines. The King’s detachment of foot soldiers rushed to form a shield line facing those heavy knights. Pity those men. They were about to become a metal sandwich. The King’s cavalry, about fifty in number, drew themselves up with impressive discipline – but they were well outnumbered, four to one by his estimate.

  Why the inadequate protection? Was this due to rushing back to the capital for medical treatment? A King’s false sense of security?

  “More soldiers moving among the trees,” Azania noted. “This is a serious attack.”

  “Cowardly sneak attacks tend to be,” he grumbled. “Ready to show these fools what it means to ambush allies of T’nagru?”

  “Ambush the ambushers. Nice.”

  “Or just beat them around the head with a few trees?”

  “Whatever works.” The Princess wriggled about as she tried to use her ornate waistband to tie herself on somehow. “Not enough material. This will be a test of my leg muscles. Ready.”

  Arrow to the bowstring. Fires bubbling just below boiling point.

  Those fools would burn!

  Dragon swooped low across the grassy meadow, still visibly soggy after the heavy morning rains. The weather was overcast but not raining just now. A low rumbling of hooves carried to his ears as the attacking knights began to sweep forward, picking up speed as they trotted toward the King’s position. He pumped his wings furiously. Close timing. Once they tangled up, he would have a much harder time separating out friend from foe. But if
they could hit in one clean sweep …

  Azania called, “Save a roar for scaring the light cavalry. The heavy mounts are trained warhorses. They might not spook easily.”

  Smart. Always thinking.

  He felt her knees tighten and heard a snick as she plucked an arrow from the quiver. His chest tightened from within as the fire built down low. Did his chest even glow? Might need to test that out one night.

  Half a mile. Top speed. Totally committed. His every sense reached out, measuring, evaluating, plotting, deciding. The attacking cavalry surged as they mounted a full charge. Thundering hooves! Clods of grass and mud sprayed behind them as if a massive beast rent the ground with its talons, smoking and snorting prior to falling upon its hapless prey. Fifty Dragon lengths. Fifteen. His wings flexed with supple grace as his neck curved sideways. They would pass almost directly over the King’s troops.

  Fire laced his throat with beautiful, molten heat. No reason to question how this was even possible. He was Dragon. Hearts afire!

  GRRROOAARRGGHH!!

  Six strides before the heavy cavalry struck the King’s shield line, white Dragon fire slashed into the faces of those charging knights. So fast was he moving and so quick his head movement to try to spray along the length of the line, he missed several. They struck hard and heavy. Horses shrieked, their hooves lashing like crazed wheat mill, while the knights struck out with their longswords. The rest of the line collapsed as if by magic, smoking bodies and ruin sliding up to the King’s foot soldiers.

  Briefly, he saw men peering from behind their shields in utter shock as a Dragon roared overhead.

  Thwock! Azania’s precise shot took out one last knight, right at the end.

  “Swerving.”

  She clamped onto his neck as he adjusted direction, continuing the rush toward the light cavalry force harassing the King’s rearguard. They broke and scattered in all directions.

  I – AM – FIIIIRRREEE!!

  Superheated white clouds of fire billowed over the field as they chased the light horse away. Stretching out his paws, he plucked riders off their mounts and threw them at the dense regiments of foot soldiers which had emerged from the treeline. Kerump!

  Brraa-hurgh-HARGH!!

  Clapping his wings sharply, he shot upward to avoid the trees and then began his turn to line up a second pass. Here came Chalice, a furious yellow dart. Reaching the last few of the heavy knights as he circled, she kicked out with her hind paws. He heard the impact right across the field. Crunch! The azure shields fell.

  Raising a robust cheer, the King’s knights extended their own charge, rolling up the flank of light cavalry as the enemy riders tried to flee.

  “Those foot soldiers are trying to reach the King!” Azania cried.

  Fierce fighting raged down there. A sixty-strong detachment engaged the King’s last line of defence. His shield wall had turned to run back toward the skirmish. Dragon eyed up another regiment to his left paw. Ugh. Leave them for the moment.

  “Let’s get in close.”

  As he shot back over the treeline and out toward the beleaguered royal force, Dragon felt a handful of arrows lodge in his soft hide. Great. Might as well invite them into his lair, too. Skimming in once more, he angled his body for the hit. Nothing subtle about this. A Juggernaut belly-and-paws landing crushed half a dozen of the enemy as they scrambled to get out of the way. Tail lashes, paw strikes and several violent snaps of his jaws dealt with several more. From the corner of his eye, he saw Chalice barrel into the other regiment, full-bore. Battle madness? Really, he needed to teach her that the old methods only got a Dragon hurt.

  That said, here was a fool waving his sword in his face.

  Dragon punched him atop the head. Clang!

  “Take that!” Azania yelled, stabbing a soldier in the throat with an arrow as he tried to drag her off Dragon’s neck.

  He whirled, stamping on and tail-slapping every scrap of blue he could see. Careful with the white. Several of them were lining him up with javelins!

  “We’re allies!” he roared.

  “Friends of Amboraine!” Azania yelled, ducking a stray javelin. “For the King!”

  They understood that bit.

  Someone shouted, “The Dragon’s with us! Strike the blue, men! For the glory of Amboraine!”

  Aye, this bloody brawl was glorious. Nitwit.

  Reaching over heads, Dragon poked and slapped enemy soldiers with his bared talons until they decided that retreat was an excellent idea. Should have figured that out the moment he rose out of that city in a vengeful rage!

  Turning, he sprayed their backs with white fire – thwock! Thwock! Neat arrows dispatched two soldiers hacking around his flanks with their swords.

  “Chalice! She’s in trouble!”

  Surrounded by forty or fifty men and coming under a withering hail of fire from the archers now, the Dragoness was sore beset. His ire rose, unstoppable. Thundering a stream of unintelligible words, Dragon flap-skim-charged across the battleground, smashing a couple of unlucky enemy soldiers aside as they dared to linger in his path. Four or five soldiers had a hold of her right wing, trying to weigh her down and chop it off. Orange fire billowed around them.

  How could he hit all those soldiers clustered around the Dragoness?

  “Fire underneath!” Azania cried, at exactly the same time as he roared, Chalice! Jump!

  She leaped ten feet into the air as his white fire hosed beneath her paws, sweeping left and right to set a number of the pests dancing in agony. The Dragoness lashed her tail as she landed, crushing more; they briefly clashed shoulders before rounding on the remainder of the soldiers. They tried to break and flee, but it was already too late.

  Off to the archers, another charge!

  Dragon groaned. Mad, destructive and – did he have to? Chalice began to fry archers as he dealt with a few last soldiers. Fine. Whirling, he aimed along the treeline and set about cutting them down with slow deliberation.

  Rather peeved at all the holes in his nice new hide!

  Frankly, aerating a Dragon was not about to make them any lighter in the air.

  He only stopped when he saw his line of fire might put Chalice in danger; meantime, Azania calmly kept his flanks and tail clear of any trouble.

  “Ran out of arrows,” she grumbled.

  “Just in time.”

  The last stragglers fled back into the trees – those who could still run. The King’s party slowly untangled themselves and rose from their defensive postures, while the knights chased down the survivors and accepted their surrender. Pah, he grunted, puffing air through his heated cheeks. Thirsty, after all that – could he assume his fire might run out if he burned himself dry? Water must come from somewhere to furnish this oceanic electrolysis process.

  Sea Dragons clearly had no such problem.

  “Well, my lovely Princess,” he said. “Shall we go bid the King a good day?”

  “How very Human of you,” she grinned.

  “Fighting talk.”

  “Oh, this Princess doesn’t just talk. I walk the walk – or ride the ride, whichever you prefer, Dragon.”

  Gnarr-nrr-GRR!

  * * * *

  King Harilan greeted them cordially from his litter, upon which his broken leg now lay, heavily bandaged and splinted. Crimson stained the bandages. Despite his pale, sweaty sickliness, he brightened once he discovered who his visitors were.

  “Allies, friends and soon to be family!” he said in his Northern brogue. “No thanks are enough, for we could not have stood this day without your aid.”

  “Grateful to serve, my King,” Azania smiled, accepting a formal kiss upon her knuckles. Dragon tried not to wince. This Human idea of pasting one’s saliva upon another creature’s skin nauseated him. “This is Dragon – we call him Dragon for reasons I can explain another time – and this yellow beauty is Chalice.”

  Harilan nodded cordially. “You both wear your wounds with pride. May your wings soar, Dragons!”

/>   “And yours, o King,” Chalice fluted, openly surprised at his knowledge of draconic custom.

  “As a white Dragon you are most unusual – not albino, by my mark?”

  He said, “No, sire. I believe I am half Sea Dragon. That is the reason for the white fires you saw, and for my physical size.”

  “Blazing,” he said.

  And then some. You barbecued my belly, Chalice teased.

  “Forgive me …” The King’s face twisted in pain. “I must hurry to the healers.”

  Azania said, “We shall escort you.”

  To his Captain of the Guard, the King said, “Track those men and bring report, will you? This will be Lord Varlan’s crew, unless the fever has me hallucinating.”

  “Aye, my King!”

  With that, they rushed the royal up to his castle. Crowds gathered to greet him along the way, with muted cheers and many encouraging cries and wishes for him to get well. Popular. Harilan roused himself a few times to wave, but his suffering was clear.

  Reminding himself that this town was not built for mighty beasts of his stature, Dragon joined Chalice in winging up to the castle.

  Landing, the Dragoness teased, We’ll have to pluck you, wing brother.

  Azania laughed, This must be a new record.

  Evidently, I make an incredibly attractive target, he agreed immodestly. You’re wearing a few arrows yourself, Chalice, and at least three lances I can count. How’s that wing?

  Well enough to fly, but those scum did a decent job trying to chop me up.

  Newly dead scum.

  Aye – gnarr! she growled. That was some impressive fighting for one your brothers seemed to think had never lifted a paw in combat.

  I blame Juggernaut. You fought with fire.

  Chuckling like a pair of old friends, they set about plucking one another of arrows, javelins and lance points while Azania ran to brief Princess Yuali and to prepare her sister. The surgeon had already dismissed her help as unwanted, even insulting, but Yuali promised they would smuggle her in just as soon as the old fool departed. Inzashu acted phlegmatic as she helped Chalice dig out a couple of javelin points, and told them she had seen the leg. Bone poked out beneath the knee, and there was a break mid-thigh in addition. He stood a good chance of losing the leg entirely if the surgeon did not know his business. Yuali was understandably upset. The Princes thought their father was a hero; the bravest man in Solixambria.