by Bianca D'Arc
Gowan cooked the fish and knew Gen had stopped to feed with her small class of young fliers. When she arrived back to their suite of rooms, she went directly to the giant sand pit in the center of the suite, around which everything else had been designed. The sand was warm—heated magically from below, somehow—and sized perfectly for a single dragon. The rest of the circular cavern held chambers for various needs of the human half of the partnership.
There was a bathing chamber, a kitchen, storage rooms, closets, and of course, a bedroom. The quarters for single knights and their dragons were said to be more utilitarian than those designed for families. For one thing, the sand wallow would be double the size to accommodate two dragons and perhaps one or two offspring. The rooms circling the wallow were also larger and more plentiful, for the human side of the family.
Gowan was in the kitchen, cooking his fish when he heard a voice in the outer chamber. He poked his head out and saw Seth standing behind Gen on the edge of the sand pit, looking at her wing. Concerned, Gowan took the hot pan off the flame and went out to see what was going on. He wiped his hands on a towel as he went out into the main chamber.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, approaching Seth from behind.
The other man turned his head, keeping his hands on Gen’s wing joint, just where the wing met her torso.
“Lady Genlitha asked me to bring some liniment. She may have strained her right wing during maneuvers today,” Seth explained, continuing his examination.
“Gen? Are you hurt?” Gowan asked silently, frowning as he walked around to catch Genlitha’s eye.
“It’s sore,” she admitted, somewhat reluctantly. “I guess I was showing off a bit and over extended. I hope you don’t mind that I asked Seth for help. Normally, this is something you could do for me, but you need to learn how, and Bronwyn said Seth was doing all this kind of work for her now that her hands are too gnarled to do it properly.”
“I don’t mind at all, Gen. Anything that helps me learn how to help you is all right in my book. I’m just sorry I don’t know all these things already. You would have been better off choosing a partner who had grown up around dragons, like Seth.”
“Seth will be an excellent knight…” Gen surprised him by saying, “…but he’s not for me. You’re the man meant to fight by my side, Gowan. Don’t worry. You’ll learn. And I’ll learn how to partner you as well. I’ve never had such an able soldier as my partner before. It will be fun to learn how to fight and fly with you so that we make the best possible team.”
“I look forward to that too, milady. Now, I’m going to find out how to tend your sore muscles from Seth here, and please sing out if I do anything wrong. It’s been a long time since I was a student, but I’m very willing to learn.” Gowan had to hide his smile as he returned to Seth’s side and spoke aloud to the other man. “I’m not well-versed in dragon keeping, as you know. Would you mind showing me what to look for and what to do to help her?”
Seth smiled up at Gowan as he manipulated the large muscle that joined wing to body. “I’m glad to show you. It’s not all that much different from our own muscles, just on a much larger scale.”
What followed was an hour of intense study of dragon musculature. Seth was a thorough teacher, and he showed Gowan how to check the muscles for integrity as well as the best method for massage and application of soothing salves.
Gowan managed to surprise Seth a time or two by recognizing the herbal scents in the salves and their uses too. They got to talking, and Gowan mentioned how his mother had run the stillroom in the keep and how Gowan had helped her gather and prepare medicinal herbs from the time he was a young boy.
By the time they were finished tending to Genlitha’s strained wing, Gowan had invited Seth to join him for dinner, since the meal in the great hall was pretty much over. Plus, Gowan had caught plenty of fish and had more than enough to share. He went back to cooking, picking up where he’d left off, and soon, dinner was ready.
“You caught all this yourself?” Seth asked when he saw the bounty of fried fish on the table in front of him.
“I had a good day on the water,” Gowan said modestly.
The more Seth was around the new knight, the more he liked him. Gowan was willing to learn how to treat Genlitha’s minor injuries and had paid more attention to Seth’s instructions than he was used to getting from knights in this Lair, most of whom didn’t take him seriously or saw him as a failure. Or both.
But not Gowan. He freely admitted his own shortcomings when it came to knowledge of dragons and Lair life. He was a willing student, though he was obviously a seasoned warrior.
“Where did you learn to fish?” Seth asked as they served themselves and dug in to the succulent fish.
“Oh, I’ve been fishing since I was a boy. My father’s lands ran alongside the River Arundelle on one side, so there was ample opportunity. It’s very relaxing, and I try to get out on the water whenever I can. Sea fishing is quite different from what I’m used to, though. Different creatures and deeper waters.”
They ate in silence for a while, but it wasn’t uncomfortable at all. Gowan was easy to be around. He seemed to have no preexisting ideas about what or who Seth should be, which was refreshing. So much of his life in this Lair had been spent trying to justify his decisions. It was nice to be around someone who didn’t judge him—at least not openly. If Gowan had any opinions about the choices Seth had made in his life, he kept them politely to himself.
“So you come from nobility, then?” Seth asked sometime later.
Gowan took a sip of the ale he’d served alongside the fish before answering. “I’m the youngest son of a lord. When my father died, my brother kicked me out with little to call my own. Noble birth doesn’t mean much when you’ve got nothing to back it up. I started soldiering and have been on that path ever since.” He paused a moment, the mug of beer halfway to his lips. “Until Genlitha showed up. She took me in a whole new direction, and I still have a lot to learn about how to be a knight.”
“You’re doing very well for a newcomer to dragons,” Seth said honestly. “Even some of the men who grew up here had a hard time adjusting to their dragon partners when they were newly chosen. But you and Genlitha…” Seth looked out the archway that led to the central sand wallow where the dragon rested. “Your partnership looks to be one of those that was always meant to be. Easy. Pure. Natural. I doubt it will take you long to get accustomed to your new role. You were already a veteran fighter and leader of men. All you have to learn is how to be that with a dragon under you and in your mind.”
“Oh, is that all?” Gowan laughed, and Seth joined him. Seth liked the other man’s wry sense of humor.
Gowan drained his mug and poured a bit more for both of them. He sat across from Seth, regarding him steadily.
“Speaking of fighting…” Gowan began.
“Oh, no.” Seth held his hands up, palms outward. He thought he knew what was coming next, and though one part of him wanted to jump at the chance to learn from this seasoned warrior, another part was adamant that he stick to the path he’d chosen to help Bronwyn.
Was it fear that held him back? That one thought made Seth pause. He hadn’t thought he was afraid of anything. He’d thought he was being noble. But what if his refusal to train with the fighters was more due to fear than respect for Bronwyn and the choice he’d made so long ago?
What if he feared being chosen by a dragon? Or not chosen?
Fear of either outcome was unacceptable to a man who had always prided himself on honesty—with others, but especially with himself. Was he being honest with himself? Or willfully blind?
“Hear me out, Seth,” Gowan went on, quietly overcoming Seth’s objections. Though Seth wasn’t really objecting anymore. His own thoughts troubled him enough to make him listen to Gowan’s proposal.
“I’m listening.” It wasn’t exactly a gracious response, but it wasn’t an outright refusal.
“I need to learn dragon and knigh
t things, and from what I see, you could use some tutoring in the art of war. I propose an equal exchange of information. You teach me, and I teach you in return.” Gowan seemed to warm to his subject when Seth didn’t interrupt. “Neither of us want to be seen as needing remedial help. I don’t think it would help either of our reputations for every busybody in this Lair to know what we were doing, right? So I think we should meet here of an evening—say, every third or fourth day—to train. What say you?”
Seth sat back in his chair, really thinking about it. He wanted to help Gowan learn the things he would have known had he grown up in a Lair. He and Genlitha had been dumped into a position of authority that would put strain on them both until they became a more streamlined team. Seth knew he could help them become better acquainted with each other. He really wanted to help them.
By the same token, Seth had regretted giving up weapons training all those years ago, but he’d been made so uncomfortable by the other boys when he’d apprenticed himself to Bronwyn that it hadn’t been worth the hassle. The knights who taught the classes were especially tough on Seth—especially after he’d gone to work with Bronwyn—and there was no real incentive to continue to train.
Still, he missed it. He’d been pretty good for his age and one or two of the knights had unbent enough to give him praise now and again. His hand missed the feel of a sword.
“I’m willing to give it a try,” Seth said with surprisingly little hesitation, once he’d made up his mind.
Gowan smiled and raised his mug. “Excellent. Now, you’ve already given me my lesson on how to care for Genlitha, so how about we work for an hour or so later tonight, after we’ve had a chance to digest some of this meal? It isn’t ideal to fight on a full stomach, though when the alarm goes up, you don’t always have the choice.”
“I have a few things I need to do,” Seth said, already rising to place his empty plate in the sink. “I need to check on Hrardorr and make sure he has everything he needs for the night, but I can return in an hour, if that’s suitable.”
“Perfect,” Gowan said, his eyes shuttered as if he was considering something. Seth could see the moment he decided to speak his mind. “You know, I saw Hrardorr out there on the water today. He was fishing for shark, and he caught a huge one. It was very impressive.”
“I don’t think he’d be comfortable knowing a knight was watching him,” Seth said, worried about how Hrardorr would react. The dragon was touchy about certain things.
“Yeah, I figured as much. Which is why I didn’t say anything to him. I only mention it to you because it seems like you have a special relationship with him. He is a magnificent dragon, and from what I saw, his blindness doesn’t hold him back in the water. If I hadn’t known of his injury, I would never have guessed.”
“That’s good to hear.” Seth paused in scrubbing his plate. “I look in on him each night. He is much better than he was, but Bronwyn doesn’t believe his sight will ever return. He is not happy about it and unwilling to mingle with the rest of the dragons in the Lair. He thinks they’ll pity him, and he doesn’t want that above all.”
“Genlitha knew him when they were young and has been trying to see him, but it’s like he’s been hiding,” Gowan admitted, scratching his head.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he has,” Seth admitted. “He knows she’s here, and he remembers her. He’s asked me about her, and about you. He’s curious, but I think he’s afraid of what she will think of him now.”
“Between you and me, I think there was some attraction there, between them, when they were younger,” Gowan mused. “I wonder if that’s not part of the reason he’s hiding from her?”
“Possibly, but he’s been hiding from just about everyone since he got here. It could be just that he doesn’t want to be around other dragons at the moment.” Seth sighed. “He lost his knight. It was a fairly new pairing, so I’m not sure how badly he’s taken the loss, though he’s definitely in some state of mourning. If he hadn’t been so badly injured, I think he would have sought refuge in a mountain cave, away from everyone and everything for a while. As it is, he’s trying to be alone in a Lair full of dragons and knights. I’m actually impressed that he’s mostly succeeding.”
“Except with you,” Gowan said quietly. “I know the depth of the bond with Genlitha now, and I wouldn’t discount how hurt he must have been when his knight was killed, even with a new bonding. I know if something happened to Gen right now—new as we are as a team—I would never be the same.” Gowan looked out into the wallow where his dragon partner was sleeping. She had really stretched her wings today. “I think she’d probably say the same thing.”
It hit Seth, then, how much Hrardorr must be hurting. He’d thought he’d understood, having grown up around dragons and knights, but just seeing the look in Gowan’s eyes as he gazed at his dragon… It drove it home how quickly the bond was forged in some cases, and how deeply.
“What can I do to help him?” Seth whispered. He felt so badly for Hrardorr. He was a good dragon at heart and had been a hero of his Lair. He’d been one of the best they had in all the land, and now, he was a mere shadow of himself. Seth wished he could fix it. Fix him.
“Just be his friend. Do what you have been doing. It’s not good for a dragon to be so alone. I know they like to get all dramatic and live in mountain caves like hermits at times, but everything I’ve learned from Gen tells me they are really social creatures, like us. They need friends. Hrardorr needs you, Seth. Be his friend.”
“I am,” Seth said without thinking. He firmed his resolve to make Hrardorr talk to him more. “I will be his best friend.”
“Good man,” Gowan said softly, praising Seth’s determination.
They were united in purpose at that moment, and for the first time in his life, Seth got a glimpse of what it might have been like to be among knights like Gowan. It would have felt a little like this, he imagined, to be one of their number.
They finished their meal, and Seth went to check on Hrardorr. He didn’t rush his tasks. In fact, he took extra time with the male dragon, trying to draw him into conversation, but Hrardorr was taciturn, as always. Still, Seth took heart. He would work on Hrardorr. It would take time, but he was resolved to do as Gowan had suggested.
And then, he was back to Gowan’s chamber to keep up the other end of the bargain they had struck. In the couple of hours between the end of their shared evening meal and Seth’s return to the suite of rooms Gowan shared with Genlitha, the knight had been busy. He’d cleared one of the many side chambers of all obstacles and had added a few things Seth remembered from his early years, training in fighting with the younger boys in the Lair.
Soft mats covered one section of the large room. A couple of practice swords made out of wood with blunted edges were lined up along the wall, along with wooden fighting sticks of various lengths. Lances and pikes—all with blunted tips—were also in the space, as were bits of light armor used for sparring.
“Did you raid the armory while I was gone?” Seth asked with a laugh, looking around the room and taking it all in.
“Something like that,” Gowan admitted. “I was discreet about it. I don’t think anyone saw me take these things. They were in a dark corner, so I don’t think they’ll be missed. It looked like the smaller stuff was all in use, but the man-sized bits were covered in dust. From that, I surmise they don’t get a lot of full-grown knight trainees here, eh?”
“Not the ones who don’t already know how to fight,” Seth agreed. “Like you. You were already a warrior, so you don’t need this stuff to learn with. What you need is what we have in plenty—tricky wind currents for you to learn to fly with your partner as if born to it. Those are the kind of human trainees we get here, for the most part. And young dragons with excellent wings but a need to learn how to use them.”
“Gen was sent here as a youngster for just that reason,” Gowan observed as he hefted a practice sword and tested it for balance.
Seth wanted
to do the same, but he didn’t know what to look for in a blade. Not anymore. Maybe once, when he’d been a lad, he had been learning such skills, but he’d given it all up…
But maybe this was a second chance for him. Maybe he’d learn the things he should have known—if he hadn’t made the decision to support Bronwyn instead. He would never hurt her by leaving her side, but he figured it couldn’t hurt to learn how to fight. He went down into the Dragonscove often enough that knowing how to defend himself wouldn’t be such a bad thing. And, if he was honest, he wanted to know. He thirsted to know. It was as if it was a need, deep inside him, that had never been satisfied.
“There’s a lot of talk about her already,” Seth said, putting aside his thoughts of fighting glory in favor of talking about Gowan’s dragon partner. “The older dragons were watching her fly and teach. They say she has a gift for teaching, and all who saw her today approved of her approach with the youngsters. If you’re not careful, they may just station you both here permanently.”
“Would that be such a bad thing?” Gowan asked, surprising Seth.
He’d thought Gowan was more a man of action. He’d thought Gowan would want to be in the thick of the fighting up north, not stuck down here where nothing ever happened, teaching. Worse—he wasn’t really needed for teaching, only his dragon. He’d be rusticating. Fishing. Or whatever else he liked to do in his free time.
Then Seth saw the teasing light in Gowan’s eyes.
“You almost had me there,” Seth said good-naturedly, laughing along with the knight.
“Not that I mind the sojourn here,” Gowan was quick to add. “I know as well as anyone that I have a lot to learn as a knight. I need to be a better partner to Genlitha before we go taking on the enemy for real. If she can do some good with the young dragons while I learn how to be a knight, so much the better, but ultimately, we’re going to be fighting, and I need to make sure we’re both as ready as possible when our time comes.”
