When the camp had finally settled down and most of the Flametongue Wanderers had returned to their respective homes, the travelers sat down with Chara and Sajan to discuss the next plan of action for the little group. They were to head to Atina, a Gypsy camp nearly as big as Legh, located a day's wagon-ride south of Rona. The group of friends was preparing their wagon reluctantly when Ator landed next to the big black beast. He greeted them sadly. He was to head back to Legh and bear the news of the battle. Ator would be accompanied by Kuna, his adopted mother, and Jesik, his adopted sister. The three dragons would each bear a rider from the Flametongue Settlement, as well. Chelandra, Ychthorn, Prigol, Bolgor, and Bellithana all wrote letters to their friends in Legh and sent them along with Ator.
As the third week after the battle grew to a close, the group said goodbye to their new friends, hoping to see them again. The horses were hitched up, set to make the long two-month trek to the next camp. The Flametongue animal handler in Sajan's clan had given them barrels of a special oat mix, designed to keep horses hydrated and healthy in the desert. The mares had already regained much of the weight they had lost during the previous four months and were pulling stronger than ever before. The supplies for the humans, Prigol, and Ychthorn were restocked and the group was ready to go. Bolgor and Prigol climbed up on the driving bench, while Thorny, Belli, and Lana waved goodbye from the roof of the wagon. They waved until the send-off party was out of sight, then they settled down in the shade of a newly constructed awning.
Lana frowned and, looking intensely at Ychthorn, said, "You have some explaining to do."
Chapter 21
Nightmares ravaged the man's sleep nightly since the arrival of the keeper more than two years ago. This one seemed more vivid than most. The men burst through his chamber door and surrounded his bed in the dead of night. As he looked up, Commander Locke's face floated above him, seemingly disembodied in his black garb. Strong hands gripped the sleepy man's arms and ripped him out of bed. As he was dragged barefoot to the door, the cold floor shocked his system. The dream world dissolved and reality set in.
Wide awake, he fought back, attempting to throw off his captors. Yells for his guards went unheeded, their broken bodies slumped outside the door. A cloth was stuffed in his mouth to stifle his continued screams and a thick bag was shoved over his head, blacking out his vision completely. He felt himself dragged down several flights of stairs and through a long hall. After another turn and more stairs, the air grew colder. The stench of decay told him they had entered the dungeons. He was thrown into a cell and the bag was removed. As a heavy door slammed behind the retreating men, the area was plunged into darkness.
A low keening came from his right and he glanced around. A thin ray of light shining under the door highlighted a large, black lump in the dragon cell further down the row.
"Alured? Is that you?"
The unexpected words startled the man. The voice had spoken so low he almost didn't hear it. Then realization dawned on him and his stomach dropped.
"Apoph? Apoph? Are you there?"
"Oh Alured!" The black dragon moaned piteously. "What have they done?"
Alured had never heard his favorite companion so distraught. Apoph was the most steadfast, logical dragon he had ever met and to hear the creature so upset and discontented was a knife to Alured's heart.
"Have they hurt you, Apoph? Are you wounded in any way?"
The dragon sniffed painfully. "They cut my face. It's still bleeding. And they broke the end of my tail when I crushed one of the guards."
Alured lowered himself heavily to the ground. His best friend was in pain, so close to him, and there was nothing the king could do to help or comfort him. An idea dawned on him.
"Apoph, how far can you reach through the bars?"
He saw a large shadowed talon twist and turn and stretch through the steel barrier. Apoph could reach slightly more than a foot away from the bars.
The man ripped the sleeve off his dressing gown and tied it into a knot. He explained his plan to the dragon and chucked the lump of cloth in the direction of his friend. Reaching through the bars as far as he could, Apoph was able to get a talon tip on the bundle and pull it to himself. He used the cloth to tie up the wound on his face, but there was nothing either of them could do for the broken tail.
Neither knew how much time passed before the dungeon's jailer, a man Alured and Apoph both knew well entered bearing a torch, which he placed upon the sconce in the aisle, and sparse meals for both the prisoners. The man frowned in disappointment as he handed Alured a bowl of thin broth and a slice of bread, then took Apoph a small roast chicken, barely enough to serve as an appetizer for one of the dragon's typical meals. The jailer inspected the wound while the dragon slowly savored the meat. Seeing that it was deep and still bleeding, the man pulled a salve from his pocket and dressed the wound as best he could. He stroked Apoph's head once and glanced sadly at the king before turning away and heading back upstairs, forgetting to take the torch with him.
The days stretched on and no one but the jailer came. Apoph used his sharp talons to mark the passage of time and Alured did his best to keep his friend from disappearing into a hopeless depression. More than three weeks had passed according to Apoph's count when they finally received a visitor. The slow clomping of her heavy shoes marked her progress and they both knew who it was before her pudgy snout even showed in the doorway. Alured jumped to his feet and began slinging accusations at his conniving little sister.
A toothy, wicked grin broke across her red, splotched face. "Now, now, brother. You should not say such things to your lovely little sister." She narrowed her eyes. "Especially when you are so under the weather and she is forced to run the kingdom in your absence."
He could only stutter in response to her statement, but Apoph growled dangerously. The cages were designed to keep dragons secure, but Apoph was larger and stronger than the average dragon and Alured was not sure the bars would hold should the creature decide to go after Slyvania. Knowing the power Apoph possessed, the usurper took a couple steps quickly back. She had forgotten the dragon would be down there as well. She stepped closer to her brother's cell, her wistful facade betrayed by a distinct sneer.
"You know, it really is a shame that such a beast cannot be tamed. He has been so useful to us in the past. It will be quite a waste when we are forced to destroy him." With a spiteful smirk, she turned on her heel and clomped back up the stairs.
Alured sunk to the ground in despair. With his sister in charge, Locke was sure to be given free rein. There was no hope for the dragon race, much less the Gypsies and Hidden. Worse than the state of the kingdom, however, was Slyvania's declaration that Apoph would be murdered. He looked toward his friend, who lay with a clawed foreleg draped across his scarred snout, utter hopelessness clearly visible on his face. They both knew the end was near. There was nothing to be done for it. Even if they could escape the dungeons, they could not escape the palace without being caught.
The jailer did not come at his usual time that evening. The torches burned low and eventually went out altogether. Alured could hear Apoph's empty stomach, now used to receiving very little nourishment, rumbling loudly from the dragon cell. The heavy silence was broken only by the occasional depressed sigh coming from the big black dragon. Just as Alured was falling asleep, the giant broke his silence.
"Is this the same cell Silene died in?" ventured the creature.
Alured thought for a moment. There were three dragon cells in the dungeons. They had been used much less frequently than the human cells, but they had still seen occasional occupants throughout the years. He searched his memories of history to see if his tutors had ever told him which cell the dragon queen had resided in.
"I don't know. I don't think I ever knew what cell she was in." He shrugged, not seeing why it would matter anyway.
"I think it was this one. There is something carved into the floor. It looks like it might be a letter, but it is really fad
ed."
Alured's interest was piqued. "Can you read any of it?"
"Sort of. It is hard with no light, plus some of it is worn completely away. But I think it says To my unborn son, I am sorry I cannot be there for you like a mother should. This is not a world a child should grow up alone in. I wish I could be there to keep you safe and protect you from the horrors you are sure to face. But that is not meant to be. My end will soon come. I can feel it. But the fate of the world depends on you. You have the power to change things. You have the power to free the dragons and humans from this oppression. I have faith in you, my love. You are your father's child. You will be as great, if not greater, than he. Rise to your destiny, my son. Be the dragon you are meant to be. I love you. Your mother."
Alured laughed, receiving a confused inquiry from Apoph.
"Oh, no. I don't think the letter is funny at all. It is really quite sad. It just confirms all these rumors that Sigurd's son has returned. I really did not believe them. But there it is. Plain as day. Well, not day... But you get the point."
They were both silent for a few minutes before Apoph ventured another question.
"Do you think he could really save Layr? His mother seemed pretty confident in his abilities, and Sigurd was one of the greatest dragons to ever exist." Apoph's declaration went against everything the dragon had ever been taught by his cruel father, and Alured allowed himself a weak smile. The statement gave him a small hope that good really might be able to conquer evil.
"I don't know," the man responded. "It all seems pretty hopeless right now, but it is said that the night is always darkest before the dawn. There may still be some chance for the future. If that dragon really is Sigurd's heir and if he really does possess Sigurd's power and kindness, there may be hope yet."
He heard a soft sigh from the other cell before the response came. "But there is no hope for us."
"There may be, but it is a small hope." He bowed his head and closed his eyes.
"Do you think Valian would come?" The dragon's question was asked halfheartedly. He already knew the answer.
"Not likely. We very probably will both be dead by the time he even hears that Slyvania is ruling the kingdom."
Another exasperated sigh escaped from Apoph, then he was silent. They were both drifting off to sleep when Alured heard a key turn in the lock to his cell. He jumped up and backed against the far wall. A growl came from Apoph and he heard the lock down there click as well.
Before he could react, a figure was at his side, gripping his arm lightly. The man carried a lantern draped with heavy black cloth to keep the light dimmed. He held it up to his face. It was the jailer. Cocking his head, he indicated that Alured should leave. The man led the king to the dragon's cell, where a man who Alured did not recognize was standing next to the beast.
Apoph assured Alured that he was perfectly fine and they both followed the two men to the dragon entrance to the dungeon. The gate was not watched, as the tunnel led under the palace to a heavily guarded gate on the far side near the lake. When they reached this gate, the jailer stopped the escapees and proceeded forward. He let out a quiet call, which was answered from the other side.
Motioning the others forward, they followed him out into the moonlight. There was a large boat waiting for them on the lake and they boarded the vessel. The jailer left them on the boat and returned to the palace, after the second man gave him a nasty knot on the head. Slyvania's anger would still be vile, but the jailer would be saved from severe punishment.
Alured curled up next to Apoph as the boat pushed away from shore. They did not know a single member of the crew and they did not know where they were headed. For all the king knew, they were heading to their deaths. But he had hope. It was a small hope, but he clung to it desperately and fell asleep next to his best friend under the moonlight.
Chapter 22
They sailed on into the night, no light but the moon to mark their way. Alured and Apoph knew not a soul on the boat and had no inkling of their destination. All they knew was that for the moment, they were together and unharmed. The men on the boat went about their business and ignored the escapees for the most part. Every person was dressed in solid black, with black gloves, black knitted caps, and coal streaking their faces. Alured himself had been given a large, thick black cloak to wrap in and he pulled the hood tight against the wind. Apoph's black hide offered him enough protection.
The boat reached the shore as the sky turned the color of wet dirt. Alured took stock of his surroundings in the murky light. He had seen vessels like these used by the merchants who sailed to and from the castle. They were small, with only a handful of sailors needed. Half a dozen men were working to dock the boat and another half dozen served as guards around the length of the deck. The dock was a small wooden platform that could be removed from the water. As he was ushered off the boat, he saw the dock itself was buoyed by many barrels underneath it and that it was tied to shore with several lengths of rope. He had to jump to reach the shore and his foot slipped. He was still barefoot, but the hem of the long cloak sopped up the water and weighed him down. A firm hand gripped his arm and he heard a soft voice whisper in his ear.
"Steady, your highness."
Light blue eyes met his and through the coal he recognized the servant girl who had been present when Valian arrived all those many months ago. She gave him a small smile and turned her back on him to make her way up the steep dirt path. He followed her cautiously, choosing his steps carefully to avoid slipping and landing back in the water.
They reached the top of the high bank minutes later, where they were greeted by a darkly colored Gypsy wagon. He knew little of the wagons, except that some were designed to carry dragons inside in relative safety. Apoph made the short flight up the bank in the company of two guards and was waiting for him, conversing lightly with another dragon. The accompanying beast was smaller than Apoph, but clearly more agile. It was streaked with a faded blue and gray pattern, like a painting that had been left out in the sun for much too long. Following the servant girl, Alured made his way over to the pair.
Apoph was beside himself with delight at Alured's safe arrival, though they had been apart for less than ten minutes. He pulled his human companion close and nuzzled him roughly before introducing the man to the other dragon.
"This is Lindsey. She is a free dragon. Isn't that exciting? I have never met a free dragon before." The lantern light danced in his eyes as Alured felt a stab in his heart.
"My dear, you are free yourself," he told his friend.
"I am?" Confusion crossed the black dragon's face. "But none of the other dragons in Rona are. They are all slaves. I thought I was your slave, and that you were just nice and treated me much better than them."
"No. You are absolutely not a slave." Alured tried desperately to convince both dragons of that fact. "You have had absolute freedom. You could have gone wherever you wished. I would not have stopped you."
Apoph nudged the man again. "I would not wish to go anywhere you did not go. But now we get to go together."
"Yes, we can go together. But where are we going?"
The faded dragon explained that they were to ride north in the wagon, accompanied by a contingent of guards, herself included. The servant, who was a Gypsy spy, would ride with them and explain the rules of the camp before they got there. They were heading to Legh, the largest and most secure Gypsy camp in Layr.
The dragon guard would fly above the wagon at intervals and Apoph performed guard duty at night to allow the dragon time to eat and sleep. Apoph agreed willingly, eager to please his new friends. During the day, the black dragon and the king would ride inside the wagon, hidden from any curious passers-by. Apoph hopped into the top of the wagon as Alured climbed wearily up the stairs. The lid was shut, Alured seated snugly next to his lifelong friend, and the wagon slowly rolled onward. Lulled by the gentle rocking, both escapees fell into a deep, uninterrupted sleep.
Several days passed before the gro
up came into view of Legh. It was massive, having grown tremendously through the inpouring of refugees from all corners of the kingdom. Alured had heard of the camp, but he always imagined the reports were over-exaggerated. He realized now that they were, in fact, under-exaggerated. The camp was nearly the size of Rona. How it remained as secluded and untouched by the military as it had to this point, he had no idea, but he was glad for it. They were stopped at a checkpoint for a long time while other Gypsies entered the wagon and searched it thoroughly, during which time Apoph and Alured were not allowed to leave. Once the guards were satisfied that the escapees were not followed or planning some vile attack of their own, the wagon was waved on.
After making its way through a maze of makeshift streets, it came to a stop near a fire pit. A group of humans and dragons were gathered around the fire, looking expectantly at the wagon. The lid opened and Apoph flew out. Applause was scattered through the crowd, mingling with boos and discontented grumbles. Alured steeled himself before stepping from the wagon, accompanied by the servant girl who had by now wiped off all the coal and currently wore a light blue cotton shift. He was greeted by two older men, one tall, strong, and dark, the other short and wrinkled with long white hair tied back from his face. The older man offered his hand and Alured accepted.
"You must be the king. My name is Graol Reck. This is Malxon Korol. He is the leader of this camp. We both welcome you to Legh."
The king bowed and thanked the men for affecting his and Apoph's escape.
"Nonsense," the big man declared. "It was the least we could do." Seeing confusion on the newcomer's face, he added, "We are the leaders of all Gypsies. Did you not think Valian would share your involvement in our quest for freedom? You have helped us more than you could possibly know. It is now time for us to return the kindness."
Blood of the Dragon: An NA Epic Fantasy Page 12
