Dorelle’s Journey
Copyright © 2015 Frauke Möbius
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission of the publisher.
This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Published by
Lar Elien Publishing
Frauke Möbius
Westring 270
24116 Kiel
Print edition ISBNs:
ISBN-13: 978-1507722053
ISBN-10: 1507722052
SEQUOIA
PU’UKANI’S SONG
HERE BE DRAGONS
KRAKEN WAR
Book two of The Cloud Lands Saga
“YOU HAVE two more weeks of latrine duty, Dorelle. And you will keep pulling it until you teach your dragon to shut up and obey.”
“But…”
“No but’s!”
Dorelle stared at Ferren. “Mashira prevented Bedelin from getting hurt. What’s so bad about that?”
Her Wing Commander stared back, unimpressed. “Mashira prevented Bedelin from learning a valuable lesson. And here is your lesson for today, and you’d better learn it now: Dragons do not talk out of line. Never, ever. They do not think on their own. They obey their riders, or they are removed from service.”
Dorelle was confused. “Removed from service? But there are no dragons outside of the Skyforce.”
“That’s right.” Ferren looked grim. “They are removed permanently.”
“But…”
“Do I have to spell out every little thing for you, stupid fisher girl? Those dragons are destroyed, because they are a liability to everyone, including their riders.”
Dorelle’s heart froze. Mashira was threatened with death because she warned Bedelin of a mistake? She had no words left, no will to keep fighting Ferren. She couldn’t risk Mashira’s life. She forced herself to give him a silent nod.
“Good,” Ferren growled. “Now take yourself away and keep that self-righteous dragon out of my sight.”
“Yes, sir.”
DORELLE MANAGED swift strides, rather than breaking into the panicked run she would have preferred. Latrine duty was one thing, unpleasant but bearable. Having her dragon threatened with death was something else entirely.
When she reached Mashira and found her dragon alive and well in their lair, she breathed a sigh of relief. She ran and clung to the dragon’s scaly neck. Mashira wrapped her downy wings around Dorelle, sensing her rider’s upset.
Ferren wants to kill me? Disbelief colored Mashira’s voice.
“Yes.” Even now Dorelle only spoke in a whisper. “He doesn’t like your intelligence, your independent thinking. And he believes they made a mistake by taking me in.”
I didn’t make a mistake in choosing you, Mashira said gently. And we are together.
“Yes.” Dorelle’s voice broke on that one word. “But we have to be careful. Ferren wants you to just obey and pretend you are a dumb animal.”
The dragon laughed. I am not.
“You know it, I know it. But look at the other dragons. They just obey.”
Mashira sighed. I don’t know how they do it.
“Your life depends on pretending to be just like them,” Dorelle said urgently.
I will do my best, then.
They spent a few more minutes together, then Dorelle had to run off to clean the latrines.
IT WORKED for a few weeks. Mashira suppressed her thoughts and her desire to help the other dragons, and Dorelle managed to keep her mouth shut. It took enormous willpower, and contrary to what Dorelle had hoped, it didn’t get easier over time.
Ferren pushed their group even harder. One day, the young dragons had to climb to the third cloud height and to the thin, frigid air up there, then dive down and pull up only a few dragonlengths above the ground.
After the third repetition, several dragon wings trembled with exhaustion. And yet Ferren, sitting astride his great male dragon, called for another dive.
You must push yourselves, he told them through his dragon’s voice. War is unforgiving. Now up you go!
And they obeyed. With great effort, Mashira took them to the third cloud height once again and soared next to Ferren and Zomel, waiting for the rest of their wing to show up. It took some of them a long time.
I’m afraid Bedelin won’t be able to pull out of this dive. She doesn’t have the strength left, Mashira said, eying the small dragon thoughtfully as she ascended laboriously.
We can’t say anything, Dorelle sent back to her. Both were thinking very quietly to each other, trying not to be overheard by Zomel.
Finally, every dragon had reached the prescribed height.
Ferren didn’t give them any time to rest. Emergency dive NOW!
All dragons immediately pointed their heads downward, folded their wings and dropped like stones. Mashira kept control of their rushing fall with just the wingtips. Dorelle was proud of her strong, clever dragon. Wind howled in her ears, threatened to tear off her helmet. She gripped the handles on her saddle even tighter and ducked down on Mashira’s neck.
You are safe with me.
I know. Can you see Bedelin?
No. She should be behind us, she’s smaller.
Emergency Dive meant that they didn’t fly in formation. Mashira dropped out of the top layer of clouds and fell through clear space, the second layer of clouds glistening white below them.
Bedelin is in trouble, Mashira said. She’s spinning and Bryal is screaming for help.
Dorelle bit her lip. And is anyone helping?
No.
A few moments later, Mashira said very quietly: I could.
The clouds enveloped them again. Dorelle’s thoughts raced. Where’s Zomel?
He’s ahead of us. He’s the heaviest dragon of this wing.
That made sense. Zomel was also much older than the new recruits.
Mashira veered a little from their path. Despite her fear for both Bedelin and Mashira, Dorelle admired her dragon’s control in this wild ride.
They dropped out of the second cloud layer, still high above the ground. Zomel was indeed far below them. Dorelle craned her neck and discovered Bedelin just a little to their left and behind, tumbling helplessly, her rider screaming in panic.
Bedelin! Just extend your wingtips a little, Mashira shouted. And hold your tail straight!
The small dragon obeyed immediately. Their spinning stopped, but Dorelle could see how much effort even that little move had cost Bedelin. At least Bryal stopped screaming, now that they were falling straight again.
How would that dragon ever pull out of the fall if she could barely move her wings?
Lie flat against my neck and to one side, Mashira said.
Dorelle did as she was told, realizing that their decision had been made. They would interfere and rescue the small dragon and her rider. Ferren and Zomel be damned.
They didn’t have much time left. The ground came up at an alarming rate.
Mashira moved over to Bedelin and slipped just below the little dragon, slowing her rushing descent efficiently by extending her wingtips just a little more.
I’m going to catch you, but you must help as much as you can, Mashira told the little dragon. Then she extended her wings more, breaking their fall and turning it into a slight curve. Dorelle felt Bedelin’s breath on her back.
Now we turn into a rise.
Mashira opened her wings a
nd strained to hold them steady, shifting their fall into a thundering, rushing flight just above the ground.
Bedelin’s rider screamed again, but Dorelle didn’t pay attention. She kept her thoughts firmly on Mashira, sending her strength, courage and love. She felt the whole body of her friend tremble with the effort it cost her to hold not only her own weight but that of the little dragon, as well.
Their flight never turned into a rise. Instead, Mashira opted for a glide that gradually slowed their speed.
Spread your wings, Bedelin. You’re safe now. You can glide to the ground.
The little dragon’s weight lifted from Mashira. Dorelle could sense the shift in their flight pattern. Her dragon veered out from under Bedelin and wearily landed on a small knoll. Bedelin wobbled to the ground next to them. Her wings trembled and drooped to the ground in exhaustion. A moment later, the little dragon crumpled down, as even her legs wouldn’t carry her anymore. Her neck was stretched out on the ground, her eyes closed.
Mashira sighed in compassion.
Bedelin’s rider looked up to Dorelle, tears flowing freely down her face.
“Thank you,” Bryal mouthed. Then she dismounted and hugged her dragon’s neck.
Zomel is coming.
Dorelle bit her lip. Now they were in for it. She just hoped that saving the life of a dragon would count for something.
Back to the barracks, the huge dragon commanded with a loud, furious roar.
Mashira rose on tired wings, leaving Bedelin helplessly on the ground. They flew home in silence, awaiting their punishment.
SO YOU saved the runt. Congratulations.” Sarcasm dripped from Ferren’s voice. “They would have been better off dead. They’ll never amount to anything, and they won’t survive the first week of a war.”
Dorelle said nothing.
“What? No declarations of dragon love? No words in your defense?”
Dorelle kept her silence, even though she worried that it could infuriate Ferren even more.
The wiry man turned away from her, paced a few steps and then whirled back.
“You’re lucky. You saved a dragon’s life, and that’s why I can’t have yours executed for disobeying orders. Doing so would upset the whole Skyforce. But give me one more excuse, and your beast will have her throat ripped out by Zomel himself.”
Dorelle didn’t even allow herself a sigh of relief. Instead, she gave her commanding officer a curt nod, indicating she had understood the threat.
“Good,” Ferren growled. “We’ll see how long you last.”
HE WILL see to it, Dorelle thought very privately to Mashira. He’ll just put us into more situations where he can blame us for thinking rather than obeying orders.
Yes. Mashira rested her head on the stone floor of their lair. And we can’t do anything about it.
Not if we stay here.
Dorelle froze at that thought. Even thinking of leaving the Skyforce was treason. She pushed it away and told herself they would somehow endure.
A cough pulled her out of her dark thoughts.
“Come in!”
Head down, her whole posture dejected, Bryal, Bedelin’s rider, crept into the room.
“Bryal! It’s good to see you. How is your dragon?”
The small woman shook her head. “She’s very weak. It took all day before she could fly back here. We barely made it to our lair. She’s sleeping now. Zomel told us to report to full duty tomorrow. If we’re not able to, Ferren wants to have Bedelin killed.”
Bryal began to cry softly. “I love my little dragon, and I don’t care if we’re good fighters or not. She tries so hard, she has a fighter’s heart. Ferren doesn’t want to see that.”
Dorelle went and wrapped her arms around the distraught woman. “I’m so sorry, Bryal.”
“He says she’s disrupting the whole wing.” Bryal blurted out the words among sobs. “She’s reducing the efficiency of the wing and causing alarming incidences. That is true. But maybe we’re just in the wrong place. Maybe we could do something else than be a war team.”
“That would make sense, yes.”
“But Ferren is the Wing Commander. And he doesn’t want anything but fighting dragons. And that means Bedelin will get killed tomorrow.”
More tears flowed down Bryal’s face and she clung to Dorelle.
“You would make a great courier team, you’re fast and agile. Bedelin could learn camouflage, too.”
The small woman raised her blue eyes to look at Dorelle. “Yes! That would work.” Then she sighed and her tears flowed again. “But Ferren will never allow it.”
“You know, Ferren hates me anyway, so I’m going to go directly to the Skyforce General. I’ll tell him about how Ferren actually diminishes the efficiency of the Skyforce with his narrow thinking.” And then we’ll get out of here, she thought very privately.
Once again, a decision had just made itself when she stood up for someone else.
We’re leaving? Mashira asked.
Yes. Dorelle was amazed at how simple it suddenly was.
“Thank you.” Bryal barely managed to stay coherent.
“I hope it’ll save Bedelin, but I cannot promise anything.”
“Of course not! But thank you, thank you for trying, and giving us hope for another chance.” Bryal wiped her eyes with the back of her hands. “And I am sorry. I cried all over you.”
Dorelle smiled. “Don’t worry. Our dragons are worth some tears.”
Dorelle only waited until Bryal had left before saddling Mashira. Then she packed some clothes and snapped the pack onto Mashira’s harness. Next were her sword, bow and helmet. The dragon almost danced with excitement.
“Hush,” Dorelle said, feeling a laugh bubbling up in herself. Now that she made the decision to leave, she felt strangely free and happy. “I’ll be back soon.”
She slipped out of their rooms and made her way towards the headquarters of the Skyforce. It was late enough in the day that most activities had quieted down and several riders were already taking their evening meal with their wing mates.
Dorelle bit her lip. She didn’t even know where the Skyforce General had his office. Taking a deep breath, she stopped a young soldier who hurried past her.
“I have an urgent message for the Skyforce General, but I’ve never been to his office,” she said. “Can you help me find him?”
“Sure. It’s in there.” The young man pointed to a large house set next to the dragon tower.
“Thanks.” Dorelle strode with as much confidence as she could muster towards the office building.
It was surprising, she mused, how easily her ‘urgent message’ gained her access to the building and a little later to the anteroom of the General’s office. She didn’t miss the glances at her uniform, so she knew she was recognized as a dragonrider.
There was a chair in front of the office door, but Dorelle couldn’t sit. Instead, she paced back and forth, hoping the General would actually allow her to speak.
“So, what is this urgent message?”, someone said at her elbow.
Dorelle whirled. A lanky man stood before her, with tired eyes and a uniform that she had never seen before. She swallowed. “It’s for General Gerdal himself.”
The man smiled slightly. “Come with me, then.”
He opened the door to the General’s office, gestured her inside and then settled himself behind a large desk.
Dorelle blinked once before she understood. “I… I’m sorry, sir,” she stammered.
“What is your message?” the General asked, completely ignoring her discomfiture.
“It’s… it’s about a dragon.”
“So I thought, seeing your uniform. Go on.”
Dorelle felt like a fool, but she pounced on the opportunity to blurt out her message. “Well, sir, there is a small dragon in my wing. She’s not suited to be a fighter. My Wing Commander is pushing her too hard, and has threatened to kill her tomorrow. But… but the pair doesn’t deserve this. They work so hard. T
hey would make a great courier team and… and…” She ran out of words and courage.
The General took a deep breath. “Does your commanding officer know you’re here?”
Dorelle shook her head, even as she felt her heart sink. “No, sir.”
“You are aware that this is a huge breach of the command line, aren’t you?”
“Yes, sir”, Dorelle whispered.
“So why did you sneak in here?”
“Because the life of a dragon is more important than the command line or the ego of a Wing Commander.” She swallowed hard.
The General nodded once, very slowly. “I see. Which wing?”
“The Forth Blue,” Dorelle managed to say.
“All right. Dismissed. And you were never here. Understood?” The General gave her a long, hard look.
Dorelle managed a nod, whirled and fled the room.
INSTEAD OF returning to their lair in the Dragon Tower, Dorelle asked Mashira to pick her up behind the office building. It was full dark now; and they wouldn’t be missed until morning.
Mashira landed silently, the down on her wings reducing the noise of her sweeping movements.
Dorelle climbed on her back and pulled the helmet over her short brown hair. “Let’s go.”
The dragon rose again, on tired wings but with a happy heart. As they circled once to reach altitude, Dorelle gazed back into the dark valley, at the Dragon Tower and the barracks. Living here had been her dream, and it had turned into a nightmare.
Where do we go?
“North. To Hery Bay.”
Mashira turned north and rose to first cloud height. Nobody seemed to take undue notice of their departure. Of course, dragons were always coming and going around the Dragon Tower.
Dorelle’s thoughts skipped ahead to the next morning. They would miss her at breakfast, and not think much of it. But once drill started and she didn’t show up, someone would go looking in her lair. And discover that it was deserted.
And then all hell would break lose. There hadn’t been a defection in decades.
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