“There is no way,” said Veer. “That shot is too long and they are moving.” Then both riders fell from their horses. “Incredible”
Myalnar came walking quickly from the forest followed by Shira who was supporting an exhausted looking Jolss.
Cyerant said. “Daralce, you are not to use so much of the magic that you are endangering yourself.’
The boy shook his head. “It isn’t a danger it just makes me very tired.”
Cyerant said. “You can get up here with me and ride in front so that I can hold you up.”
Jolss shook his head again ad said. “I can ride my own horse.”
Looking at Myalnar Cyerant asked. “There are riderless horses now. Will you elves ride?”
The older elf glanced at the two younger elves and simply said. “We ride.”
In a few minutes the packs had all been loaded onto horses and the elves too were mounted and the party was moving quickly eastward.
Cyerant set a punishing pace and rode well on until after nightfall. The company made a cold camp just off the road inside the edge of the forest. Cyerant had them in the saddle again as the sky started to lighten toward dawn and by mid afternoon the north gates of Deelt were coming into view.
As the company neared the gates they noticed that things had changed since they left just days before. There were now city guards at the gates asking visitors questions before letting them enter. Cyerant stopped long enough for everyone to dismount and lead their horses through on foot. As the company neared the gates a guard began to eye them suspiciously, especially the three elves who had their hoods up. The guard stepped in front of the party and held up his hand for them to stop. “Hold there,” said the guard. “What business do ye have in Deelt?”
As Cyerant prepared to answer he was cut off by another guard. “They’s alright, Marl, that boy there with ‘em. I seed him at the magistrate’s court. He’s the ‘prentice to the mage over in the tower. The one what put out the fire down over too the wharfs a few night ago.”
“Oh,” the guard called back over his shoulder. Facing Cyerant he continued. “So ye’s all going over to the tower then I reckon.”
“Yes,” Said Cyerant.
“Did ye come in on the north road or the west road? They’s strange things doin’ lately. They’s been a lot o banditry going on. Some as say these bandits are comin’ closer to the City. We heard that they’s a mad woman just up the north road stoppin’ travellers and warnin’ ‘em ‘bout dragons runnin here abouts. Musta seen that magic dragon at the tower the night of the fire. Scared a crowd o folk half outta they’s wits afore they knew that it was just a bit o magic. I recon that it did scare one outta her wits. Did ye see ought of bandits along the west road?”
Cyerant answered. “Yes, about two days back. There looks like there was a battle of some kind and there are some bandits dead. I imagine they started fighting among themselves over something.”
“Two days? That close?” Asked the guard shaking his head. “I reckon they’ll be the ones that burned the ferry up the Blacktine River. Bad business that. The magistrate sent a barge to be hauled up to the crossing to be used fer a new ferry. Hear tell that the magistrate is sending to the king to ask for a guard outpost at the ferry. Things is sure getting strange. You folks ‘ll be safe ‘nough at the tower I recon.”
“Thank you, ..um Marl was your name, correct?” Cyerant said.
“Yes, Marl it is, and I hope the master mage gets to feelin’ better.”
“Thank you,” said Jolss as the party rode by.
“How did you remember his name?” Asked Jolss.
“It is the first thing you learn as a child in a good noble house.” Answered Cyerant. “Remember names and faces, it makes people more loyal if they feel like you know who they are. And it makes you a far better noble if you actually do know who they are. Now I’ll always know his name and he will always be pleasantly disposed toward me for remembering it. People appreciate being remembered.”
The company made a strange menagerie going up the streets of Deelt – two young men and a young woman along with a boy who had a bird on his shoulder. And there were the three people in hoods who were a bit shorter than the average adult. Each leading a horse and there was a chain of pack horses. A colt and two dogs were following along. And there was a noisy crow following along on the roof tops of the building scolding anyone who would listen.
As the company entered the city their senses were assaulted by the life of the city. The air was filled with the sounds of people talking and haggling in the shops and the market stalls, and the sound of songs and arguments coming from inns and taverns. Always the sounds of some distant smith or farrier hammering on heated metal provided a ringing and constant heartbeat to life in a city like Deelt. Then there were the smells, wonderful smells like the meat pie vendors and the fruit pie shops. There were bakeries and spice markets and leather goods stalls. But there were also the smells of people living close together and of chamber pots emptied in the streets. They passed stables with their smell of hay and horses and the charcoal smell of the smithies. And there was a great deal to see with hawkers and merchants always trying to get the attention of passers by.
The elves had never been in a human city, being forest dwellers their own valleys were more like scattered homesteads or tiny villages. This was all very new to the elves as they experienced what life among humans was like. Talyat complained. “The smell here is strong.”
Myalnar answered. “There is a wind here to keep the air clear. You’ve not been in the dwarven halls. They ventilate their halls but still there are many dwarves inside an enclosed place. I would prefer this any day.”
Soon the company was entering the gate of the tower compound. Cyerant led them around to the stables first where they put away the horses and made a nice place for Corth to rest since it would seem so odd to have a yearling colt or dragon the size of a colt walking around inside the tower. Once the animals were all tended to the companions headed inside through the door to the kitchen. As they all got inside Vara entered the kitchen loudly proclaiming. “So there you all are then. Returned from your hasty trip I see, and you leaving so suddenly and with the poor Magister so ill. You should be ashamed of yourselves.”
“We’re sorry Vara,” said Cyerant. “We thought it best if we took a few days away to cut down on noise and take the animals out of here so the mage could recover in peace. You seemed so concerned that he have peace and quiet while he was ill, we thought that our going for a few days was what you wanted.”
Vara seemed flustered for a moment and then she responded. “Yes, yes it was just what I wanted. You may be back a bit sooner than I wanted but it’ll do. See that none of those beasts go into the sick room. And horses will stay outside. And your three friends there have no need to walk around with hoods pulled on like it’s a snowstorm inside. Now I’ve a patient to tend to.”
“Yes Vara,” said Cyerant. “Our friends are monks from the forest and they always wear hoods.”
Vara put her hand on her hip and huffed. “There are odd doings in this tower, mages and monks and dogs and horses and that silly bird inside and that noisy crow sounds to be back outside. Just keep out of the way and let the Magister heal.” The woman turned and stormed from the room with Jolss in tow asking questions about the old mage.
“Interesting woman,” said Myalnar.
“Frightening is more like it,” answered Veer. Shira smirked.
“Did you not wish to ask how the old mage is faring?” Myalnar asked.
“My brother will do that. He will find out everything that has been happening and since he is the smallest he is the least likely to get hit or yelled at. He is going to ask her a thousand questions anyway.” Answered Cyerant.
“Wise choice,” Talyat added.
“Cyerant,” Said Myalnar. “Did you notice as we came through the streets a few people seemed to follow us and to see that there were dragons with us?”
“It’s
the foreigners,” answered Veer instead. “They take some kind of potion which makes them able to see through the enchantment on the dragons. They are in the city and they know that we are here.”
Cyerant nodded and continued. “But there are not enough of them to act on it or to attack the tower. Especially, if the guards are starting to be more present in the streets and more watchful of the gates. Right now all that they can do is watch us and try to sneak and capture one of the smaller dragons.”
Shira added. “I know a little green eyed one that they can have for all that I care. Let them deal with that nasty little creature and see if they still want dragons.”
Cyerant turned to the elves and said. “I would like to show you to some rooms on the third floor where you can stay. Best to keep you out of sight as much as we can for right now.”
By that evening the company was having supper in the dining hall. Vara had gone off to take a nap and left the companions in charge of watching over the sleeping mage.
“Vara says that he stirs from time to time but that he has not yet come completely awake.” Explained Jolss to everyone.
Jolss picked up his plate and cup and headed out of the dining room saying. “Prin and I are going to sit with him in case he wakes up.”
Cyerant looked around at everyone else sitting at the table and said. “Well Vara is asleep so we can talk and start to plan how we are to get to Verat City. The Blacktine river comes in from the west and it meets the Merris river coming down from the north and together they form the Garee river which flows south to the sea. Now just before it gets to the sea it splits and the big section of land in between the split is where the capital Verat City is located. That is where the king lives.”
“Is there a road leading down from here?” Asked Veer.
“Yes,” answered Cyerant. It is called the Greatway and it is the largest road in the kingdom and it goes down through the heavily populated area of the kingdom. The farther south you go the larger that the towns and cities are and the heavier the population. So there are a lot of people. This time of year being the start of Autumn the traffic on the road is mostly headed north in wagons to bring things up from the south before the snows start and make the going hard. The traffic on the river is all barge traffic and is headed south with the flow of the river. Sending harvested grains and supplies to the south for sale. Most goods go down the river or up the road.”
Myalnar asked. “So what do you propose for our travel? You do, after all know human habits and customs far better than we.”
Cyerant continued. “Well if we go down the road it will take better than a month to get there and we will pass a lot of people. If we book passage on a river boat heading south with goods it should take about three weeks to get down the river. Then there are fewer people to risk seeing an elf and fewer people to risk seeing a dragon.”
“How do we feed the animals?” Veer asked. “When you see them eat it is pretty clear that they are not dogs and what about a horse that can eat a side of beef at one sitting?”
Cyerant said. “I don’t know. Just let me think about it all.”
Shira asked. “What about the shadow way? Could we take the Shadow Way? There aren’t very many people living along the Shadow Way and there is a forest along it from what I have heard.”
“What is the Shadow Way?” Asked Talyat.
“It is a trail that runs down the edge of the New Rang Mountains,” said Shira.
“And it would add a lot to our trip.” Cyerant said. A week west to get there and then follow the trail down the side of the mountains until we get to the coast then a week east to even get to the river delta of the Garee river and then days through the swamps there to get to the river itself and then we would have to get a ferry across it to the city. And I imagine that the foreigners will be searching along the trail by now.”
“I’m not worried about foreigners,” said Veer. “Look at the damage that we did to that last bunch of them.”
Cyerant said. “Two months worth of hard travel and maybe fighting off foreigners along the way and we could be in the swamps when winter hits. I know that it doesn’t get as cold in the south lands but I don’t want to be lost in the swamps when winter starts. And none of us really know the Shadow Way, Myalnar, Pelinar and Talyat have not even heard of it. No, that is a bad idea. I’m not sure of how we are getting to Verat City just yet but I am sure the Shadow Way will not be how we travel.”
Myalnar stood and said. “We should perhaps retire. I must speak to the High Council tonight before I myself can sleep. Do we need watches posted here in this city?”
Cyerant said. “No the city guard patrols this area regularly. Besides we have the best alarm beasts in the world running around. And if anything gets past all of that Vara will be sitting up watching the mage most of the night once she wakes up.”
Veer said. “I would like to see one of them tangle with her. Even the dragons are afraid of her. She even smacked one’s nose.”
“And?” Asked Pelinar.
“The dragon hid behind Veer,” said Shira.
“Wise dragon,” said Talyat with a rare smile.
Each person went to his or her own room to sleep except Cyerant who went to check on the sleeping mage and his own younger brother. Cyerant found that his brother was asleep and the magic dragon was curled up next to the mage who was waking. The young noble carried his brother away and put him to bed. Cyerant returned to find that the mage was fully awake but very weak.
“How long?” Asked the mage.
“I think six days now.”
“Has a lot happened in that time?”
“A great deal,” said Cyerant nodding.
“I do not have strength for anything else so you talk and I will listen.”
Cyerant nodded and proceeded to tell the mage everything that had transpired since the night of the fire. Unbeknownst to both the mage and the noble Vara had awakened from her nap and stopped silently in the hallway and she too listened to the whole tale.
After telling the whole tale to the mage Cyerant explained the dilemma concerning travel to the capital to see the king.
Vara having heard the fantastical tale withdrew deeper into the darkness of the hall and thought through what she had heard. It seemed ridiculously fantastic to her, as if it were a fairy story. But she had been at the wharf and seen what the mage had done to extinguish that fire and yet a sevenday before she would have assured you that magic was not real. She had also been in the crowd in front of the tower whenever that illusion of a dragon had flown right over. It certainly had looked real enough. As odd as the tale had been that the boy had been telling to the old mage the boy seemed to sound completely honest and the mage seemed to believe what he was being told. There was one way to test the tale. If the bandits can see the dragons when they drink a potion then there is only one herb that could be made from. It is an herb which is given for snakebites up in the north country and in the hills. It is dangerous and has been known to cause hallucinations. Come to think of it the hallucinations are always said to be of the people thinking that they can see dragons. It is not much use against snakebite in these parts but Vara knew that she had some in her supplies that she carried in her pack since midwives know that it can also be used to wash and infected wound on an infant and save the child’s life.
A half an hour later Vara lifted the cup of the weak tea to her lips and drank down the herb. Quietly she moved through the halls of the tower until she came to the room where the child and his bird were sleeping. With one small lamp for light she gently opened the door and looked in on the sleeping boy. The pet bird was laying there next to the child curled up with its head tucked under its wing sleeping as she had seen countless chickens sleep. The bird stirred and awakened and looked up calmly at the woman and then it stood and yawned and stretched. As the woman watched, the feathers seemed to melt into scales and the eyes took on a look somewhere between human and snake, as the wings spread they started to look more
like the wings of a bat – and birds do not yawn and they do not have fangs. The woman took a deep breath and backed out of the room and she leaned against a wall as she thought through the tale, now that she knew that it was all real.
Many people would have fled the tower at that moment but Vara was not that kind of woman. She was a woman who had held the newly born as they took the first breath of life and the dying as they released the last. She had seen the still born suddenly live and those who were horribly injured miraculously survive. As a healer Vara had seen many fantastic things already and she had been in very stressful situations. She decided that she has known the mage for twenty years and he will get to the bottom of the whole thing.
Cyerant looked up as the woman walked into the room. “So we are awake are we?” She said to the mage.
“Vara,” said Partonius. “I should have known it was you nursing me. Yes, I am awake so your torture can begin.”
“You never did know what was good for you, I don’t torture; I help.”
“Is that what it is?” The mage asked.
Vara turned to Cyerant and said. Thank you for sitting with the old hermit while I rested. You must be tired from your travels – I am here now so you should go to your own rest.”
As Cyerant reached the door he heard the woman’s voice again call to him. “And young man…. there will be no dragons in the sickroom and tell the elves that wearing a hood inside is not polite not even for monks.”
Cyerant turned around as the colour drained from his face. He could see that the woman was not looking at him but looking calmly at Partonius.
The old mage lifted a hand and weakly waved for the young noble to go on. “She and I will talk.” Said the man from his bed.
Cyerant did not sleep well and the morning came very soon.
Shortly after sunrise the company was gathered in the dining hall sitting at their breakfast as Cyerant walked in. He took in the site of his two friends and his little brother over their bowls of porridge. There were two dragons sitting on the floor and one small one sitting next to Daralce’s bowl the small one was looking into the bowl and then back up at the boy. The dragonet would turn his head like a confused puppy as if the dragon could not figure out why the boy would be eating the stuff in the bowl. Also at the table were three hooded people with bowls of porridge in front of them. Cyerant cleared his throat. “I need to tell you something…”
Dragons of Summer Tide (The Dragons of Hwandor) Page 28
