Kiin blew him a kiss; a rare moment of pure femininity from her. But she was so happy to see him, so it was okay. She walked off toward the area where a lot of light was glowing; a place where the injured were being gathered for healing and feeding.
***
Donna stepped over a large puddle of potion mix that had been spilled when a golem blew up a small apothecary stand. It was dangerous and needed to be dealt with before someone made the mistake of stepping in it and freezing their leg to the bone.
Pulling out a petite bottle she tossed it down at the puddle and the two potions mixed on the ground. Then she pointed to the puddle and said, “ELDR.” A very small flame shot from her finger to the ground and the potions lit up in a very sharp, intense blaze that lasted for only a second. It stank terribly, but burning potions often stink because of the amount of sulfur and copper used mixing them.
After she was sure this was taken care of, she walked a little further down the way to check on some of the other things that could prove dangerous. She had volunteered to help out with this sort of clean up since she was so skilled with potion magic, and she didn’t want to look at dead bodies. All of this destruction was just so terrible, that to push even more bad stuff into her mind right now, might leave her unable to feel happy for years. Besides, the potion and magical item shop district was destroyed by golems and a fireball from one of the dragons. There was a profusion of magical ingredients lying around that could be very, very dangerous if not dealt with.
Just then Treb’s deep, manly voice called down the road. “DONNA! ARE YOU DOWN THERE!?”
A sneaky smile crossed Donna’s face and she looked around for a good pile of stones. “YES, PLEASE HELP! I’VE FALLEN!” she called back and then carefully laid herself down on the stones as though she had fallen on them.
***
Treb ran down the alley, looking around for her. He got to where she laid down and was very concerned about her welfare. “Donna, are you hurt? Can you move?” She weakly reached up with one hand. “I need help standing, please.”
Being the helpful gentleman that he was, he bent down to her and got her to her feet. Just as she put weight down on her right foot she nearly fell back down. Treb caught her just before she was dropped to her knees. She looked up into his eyes. “I think I hurt my foot. Please, hold me.”
Treb put his arms around her for support so she could walk. “Don’t worry, I’ll get you to the infirmary.”
“Go slow, I can’t move fast,” Donna lied. It was an effort to secure the help of a strong man. It wasn’t without its reward. She had his big, strong arms around her as he gallantly helped her hop her way toward the town square. It was shameless, she knew, but he was such a gorgeous hunk of man, it was a pleasure to deceive him for just a few moments. It took a little of the sting away from all the terrible things that had happened.
As they left the street to enter the square, Treb looked up to see Crystal and her parents coming in from another street. They were heading toward the infirmary. “CRYSTAL!”
Donna suddenly got worried. “Uh, what are you doing?”
“Getting help, she’s a healer, after all,” Treb answered. “CRYSTAL, PLEASE HELP ME!”
Donna realized her ruse was destroyed, but she didn’t want to just stop now. Crystal came running up with her parents at her side.
“Oh my, Donna are you okay?” Crystal held out her hands to help the poor woman sit down so they could take a look at her foot.
Donna gulped and blushed. “I…uh…think…uh…oh crud...”
“What’s that?!” Fiona, Crystal’s real mother, yelled looking upward, as she watched something approach.
Crystal looked up and her eyes lit up with fire, she was smiling from ear to ear, and on a Rakki that is saying something. In the sky was a big, beautiful golden dragon flying toward the city. “It’s Markus!”
Shio, her father, held up his hand to cast a protection spell. “The dragon is named Markus?”
Crystal pushed her father’s hand down. “Yes, but it isn’t just a dragon, he’s my boyfriend.”
Fiona took her daughter’s shoulders and held them firmly. “Are you okay?”
Crystal brushed her mother’s hands off. “You look at me as if I’m losing my mind. I’m fine! Wait, he’ll be here in a moment.”
Markus flew with a strange jerking motion, as though he were really hurt. He descended and crashed into the ground, sliding to a halt at the edge of the Square. His enormous size made the crash create a bit of an earthquake that shook the viewers. After a moment of stillness, the dragon began to melt away in a golden dust, leaving only the human form of Markus.
“MARKUS!” Crystal yelled and then broke into a dash for him.
Donna let go of Treb and also ran for the boy, which revealed her feigning injury. Treb, Fiona, and Shio were not far behind.
***
Crystal slid to her knees right next to Markus and put her hands on him. She was afraid he would not be breathing, but was relieved when he gave a harsh wheeze.
Fiona knelt down next to him as well and slowly felt over his chest. “He has several broken ribs, there’s probably a fracture of this arm, and I bet that twisted ankle is broken too.”
Shio agreed while he cast a sensing spell over Markus. The blue colored wave of energy made several spots on his body light up from the inside all the way through his clothes. “He has some internal bleeding and deep burns on his skin. He’s going to need some special medical attention.”
Crystal put her hands on his head and felt along his skin for bumps or other injuries. “He won’t wake up. Wand!” She called out and her wand appeared in her hand. She placed it on his head and closed her eyes to use a different type of sensing spell. “Oh, he has been hurt deeply by some awful magics. It’s amazing he could manage to fly here at all.”
Donna pulled out a phial of light blue potion. “Here, enchant this with a disenchantment charm and rub it onto his forehead.”
Crystal took the potion and looked up to her father, who was the best medical wizard she knew. He took the phial from her and placed a multipurpose disenchantment spell on it. The blue liquid began to glow as bright as the day sky.
With a careful motion of two fingers on one hand, Crystal rubbed it on Markus’ forehead. But he didn’t respond. So she tried it again. This time, he moved his head a little and winced, blinking open his eyes. “Oh, my head.” He tried to sit up, but that was impossible with the amount of pain he was in.
“What happened?” Treb asked. “Where’s the black dragon?”
Markus coughed and grimaced, clinching at his side. “Oh, that hurts.” He gulped down the pain and looked at the gathered crowd. “Hallond is dead. He tried to steal my body and destroy my soul, but Tolen saved me.”
Shio stuck up both eyebrows. “Tolen?”
Markus slowly nodded. “Yes. Tolen spent the very last ounce of his soul to stop Hallond from jumping bodies again and killed what was left of Hallond’s soul. It’s over. It’s all over.” He began to fade again, closing his eyes and allowing his head to nod off to the side.
Crystal caught him and held him up. “Markus!”
Fiona gripped Crystal’s shoulders. “Don’t worry. He’s asleep, not dead. We need to get him to a safe place where we can start his mending.”
Crystal, fighting the tears in her eyes, looked up to the man she had known as father for the past four years. “Can you carry him?”
Treb gave a little verbal jab at Donna for fooling him. “Of course. Apparently I’m free to carry him.”
Donna shrugged and smiled lightly as she stood up and moved back to let Treb gently pick up Markus. Donna starred at Treb’s backside as he bent over to lift Markus in his arms. Crystal took notice and rolled her eyes at the flirtatious woman. Donna smirked and winked back.
Chapter 16: A new day
A large memorial service was held in honor of all the men and women who died during th
e great Battle of Thendor. The hill where the Rakki first arrived to help was renamed Rakki Hill in honor of their service and all of the bodies of the lost men and women were buried there as a memorial of their sacrifice.
However, life in the Valley hadn’t changed much. The news came, but not all of it.
Margret sat at the kitchen table and stared out the window at the fields growing with tava roots. Her husband had worked so hard recently that she barely knew him. He was ashamed of himself and worried sick about his son, so he covered those emotions by working that much harder. For Margret, it wasn’t as easy. She often stayed inside and took care of the house, went out to the market to sell the farms produce to the local vendors, or went shopping for what they needed.
But now, Margret hardly wanted to leave the home to do the daily runs to the market, for she knew everyone would ask about Markus, reminding her of her lost child. Everyone knew he left and was gone for a long time now. What was worse was that not too long after Markus took off for his education, the knowledge of what happened to the wizards of Gallenor came to this tiny community.
Just then Thomas came into the home, sweaty and dirty. The depressed look on his face seemed to never leave. He used his upper sleeve to wipe across his brow as he took off his muddy boots. “Honey, how are you doing?”
Margret continued looking out the window. “Fine.”
“You haven’t left that table all day. That isn’t fine.” Thomas took off his gloves and tossed them into a basket by the door.
The middle aged woman shook her head and looked down at her hands. “I was just thinking about Markus. Why did I have to be so mean to him?”
Thomas let out a huff and came over to the table. “We only did what we thought was best for him.”
“Did we?” She finally looked at her husband. “Or did we do what we wanted for us? I dreaded the day my baby wanted to leave home. From the moment he was born, I hated that idea. I was so selfish.”
Thomas nodded with agreement. “We were both selfish. I wanted a son who would take care of the farm, be just like his old man. I never considered how he felt, only how I felt. Now he’s gone, I just...”
“Don’t say that!” She cut him off, her face no longer hiding the urge to cry.
Thomas put his arm around her shoulder, “I only meant he is not home. I haven’t given him up for dead yet.”
Margret buried her face in her arms on the table, “Oh, honey, what will we do if our baby’s dead!?”
Thomas leaned over and put his arms around her shaking, sobbing body. “I don’t know Marg, I don’t know.”
They stayed like this for a while, Margret crying much as she had for too many days. She was crying because she might have pushed her own son away from her, and that might have cost him his life. She couldn’t forgive herself, especially knowing she might never get to tell him she loved him.
Just then a loud pounding interrupted them. “Thomas, Marg, open up! Quickly!”
Thomas looked at the front door, “That sounds like Henry.” He had never heard the town magistrate pound on anyone’s door. This must be news about Markus. Thomas got up and opened the door for the only representative of the Royal Guard here in the city.
Henry, an older portly fellow came in quickly. “Thomas, Margret, you must come to the town square. It is urgent.”
“What’s going on?” Thomas asked.
“A lot. The king’s dead, Captain Morris is dead, and dragons have returned to Gallenor.” He attempted to sum this up the best he could.
Margret wiped her eyes. “What?”
Henry shook his head and waved at them. “Come, come, I think this has to do with Markus, your son.”
“Markus?!” Both parents asked.
“Where is he?” Thomas asked.
Margret stood up. “Is he alright?”
“No time, I’m ordered to read this to everyone. Come, come.” Henry was never an impatient man unless the circumstances were highly important.
Thomas and Margret quickly followed the old magistrate out of the farm house and headed for the town square.
***
Magistrate Henry stood on the cover of the town’s well at the center of the square. He didn’t wish anyone to miss this. The residents of the valley farms all gathered around him and waited. Rumors had already started to trickle into town about what had happened at Thendor and it was about time they got the details.
Before Henry could start, people began to blurt out questions. He held up his hand to get their attention. “Everyone, if you would please be silent and listen.” He waited and when it was finally quiet enough, he began to read. “By order of the Council of Representatives, this announcement has been issued. King Anthony, Captain Morris, and one hundred and fifty citizens have all perished during an attempt by dark wizards to usurp the throne and destroy Gallenor’s ruling body...” From there, Henry read to them the brief summary of what had transpired. He finished with, “by the bravery of a young wizard child, and heir of Tolen the Wise, by the name of Markus of the Valley, the enemy was defeated and the wizards of Gallenor have been set free.”
This same announcement was read across Gallenor in every settlement, no matter how small. Each reading was accompanied by a witness of the event to take questions and explain the details. This made Markus a hero in Gallenor even to those who had never met him or seen what he did. Strangely, his home town was not provided the eye witness to take questions. But, that did not stop people from asking questions.
“Is that our Markus?” a woman called out.
“I thought the dragons were dangerous?!” another man yelled aloud.
More and more questions came and Henry was overwhelmed for a moment while he was trying to satiate their growing concerns. “People, people, please. This is not a time for worry, it is a time to rejoice. We are safe from dangers.”
“But, who will be king!?” a young lady asked.
“Yah, we need a king!” a man called before Henry could say anything.
“What happened to Markus?” Thomas yelled now, afraid this might have been his son.
The sound of his voice, and the fact that everyone knew of the loss of Markus recently, caused the crowds to die down a little and turn their eyes towards the farmer. Henry stepped down and walked up to Thomas. “I’m not privy to say this was your son. But...I haven’t met too many people named Markus in my time and considering most of the wizards of Gallenor were imprisoned, the likelihood that this was your son is...strong.” Henry closed his eyes as he heard Margret gasp and then bury her face in her husband’s side. “I’m so sorry, I wish I had more information.” He stepped back to address everyone at once. “This letter was supposed to be accompanied by a witness to the events so questions might be answered. But, he or she has not arrived, so we will have to wait. My orders were to read this today at this time. When...”
“What is that?” a woman asked pointing down the dirt road that led out of town.
Everyone turned to look and saw something no one here had ever seen before. A legion of finely dressed Royal Guards riding white horses carried the flag of Gallenor on either side of a caravan of exquisite carriages coming up the road. This was the royal procession that normally guided the king’s personal transport.
When this procession of two dozen Royal Guard arrived at the square, they rode around the gathered people and stopped their horses. Each guard held high a flag of Gallenor. Its royal blue and gold embroidered symbol of a flying phoenix danced in the sky. The last guard to ride up was the closest to the royal carriage. He dismounted his horse and approached, his shining armor displaying his rank as the Captain of the Royal Guard.
Captain Alex looked around with that confident gaze. “I’m seeking the Magistrate Henry and the parents of Markus of the Valley.”
Henry quickly pushed through the crowd and approached the new captain. “Sir, I’m the town Magistrate.”
Thomas and Margret approached as
well, Margret looking positively ill. “We are the parents of Markus of the Valley. I’m Thomas and this is my wife Margret. Where is my son?” Thomas asked.
Captain Alex surprised everyone drawing gasps from all onlookers, including Henry, when he bowed to one knee before Thomas and Margret. “It is my honor to meet you.” Just then, as was tradition, each of the Guard dismounted their horses and then bowed down too, while still holding the flags by the stand so that they stayed up and flying. This caused Henry to bow as well, and the people around the square slowly followed their magistrate in lowering themselves to Thomas and Margret. When the king or the captain of the guard bows to anyone, everyone bows as well. It is the highest sign of respect in all of Gallenor.
Thomas was in awe as he looked around to all the bowed people. All he could say was what was deepest in his heart right now. “Captain, please tell me, what has happened to my son?”
“I believe I can answer that.” Lord Kellus of the Rakki approached now, having exited one of the three carriages. Beside him on either side were his own personal guards, Treb and Kiin. “Master Thomas and Mistress Margret of the Valley, I’m here to bring your son home so he can mend.”
Treb held out his hand toward the first carriage. “Please, come with us.” He and Kiin walked Thomas and Margret toward the white carriage with gold trim and royal blue curtains hanging in the windows.
Thomas and Margret cautiously walked in the direction of the carriage. They noted the third carriage was filled with several representatives of the races in attendance, as well as Donna. The first carriage was the longest and pulled by four white stallions dressed up for the occasion.
Treb pulled open the door and Kiin pulled aside one of the curtains so that they could look inside. Thomas and Margret both began to cry when they saw their son lying on a bed with a lovely young Rakki girl sitting next to him. Markus was covered in bandages and unconscious.
Crystal smiled at them, seeing Markus in both his parents’ faces. “Do not cry. He’s healing well. It’ll just take some time.”
Legacy of Dragonwand- Book III Page 13
