The Dragon Caller

by Pauline M. Ross

  And then he was lost. He could resist her pleading and her tears, even her touch, although it was difficult. But that wide smile and the merry laugh? Never. He pulled her to him and kissed her with all the passion he’d been forcing himself to repress, kissed her hard and held her tight until she protested that his armoured leather jerkin was bruising her. So he took it off, and then, somehow, everything else came off too, and her clothes as well.

  “Just don’t break my heart,” he murmured, as they spread blankets on the marble floor.

  “I won’t break yours if you won’t break mine,” she said with that entrancing smile, pushing him down onto his back, and after that there was no more talking.

  ~~~~~

  He was woken by the unmistakable smell of roast meat drifting up from far below. Elestra was already half dressed.

  “Come on! Food! Race you to the bottom!” Then she was away down the stairs and he had to scramble into his clothes. He stared at his armoured gear and his sword, and with a shrug left them lying on the floor. He was hardly likely to be facing an attacker here.

  Astonishingly, the meat was roast venison, which Ruell’s dragons had snatched from the cooking pits of the Drakk’alona army camped outside the tower.

  “You should have seen their faces!” he squealed in delight. “They were so busy watching Lokkasshi and Drannamassh having a pretend fight, they never saw Gheessha coming. So much fun!”

  Garrett laughed too, although he said, “They’ll get wise to these tactics very quickly. And if they think the dragons are looking out for easy food, they’ll start laying traps. Or poison, maybe. Get your pets to bring us fish, and the red one can cook it for us here. That would be safer. But still, my appreciation, to you and your helpers.”

  He raised the wine flask to his lips in a toast. It wasn’t the most elaborate meal he’d ever had – only meat, some stale bread and the wine flask – and the table was missing a leg after the dragons had dropped it, but none of that mattered. They were safe from harm, they had food to eat and he had Elestra to keep him warm at night, and what else did a man need, truly? Life was perfect.

  And then, halfway through their improvised meal, the wall opened not twenty paces away, to the sounds of clashing steel, the grunts of fighting men and the screams of the wounded.

  Their meal was suddenly in the middle of a battle.

  And out of the chaos walked a girl in white.

  31: A Minor War (Ruell)

  Ruell jumped to his feet, mouth still full of venison. He swallowed hastily. Beside him, Garrett reached by instinct for his sword, realised he didn’t have it and swore copiously. Elestra was on her feet, too, watchful.

  The girl’s clear eyes looked straight at Ruell, ignoring the others. He’d never seen anyone like her – with her dark skin and black hair, her huge dark eyes and white silk floating around her, she was like something out of a myth, too perfect for the real world. Behind her, the battle spilled over the threshold, two warriors absorbed in their sword fight inching towards them with grunts of effort and a rattle of steel against shield. Abruptly, they shifted backwards again, as if a gust of wind had pushed them away.

  The girl turned, and raised one slender arm to the wall to press her hand against it. The door whooshed closed and the battle vanished. Silence dropped over them like a blanket.

  She turned back, and again her eyes settled on Ruell, as if mesmerised. He was just as mesmerised by her. He took one step towards her, and then another, unable to help himself, and she moved towards him, too, matching his steps. Her giant eyes were fixed on him, and he moved nearer. Something about her tugged at him, making her totally irresistible. Another step, and another. Each pace forward, she moved too, her expression unchanging, watching him, drawing him towards her, step by slow step. Another and another. Now she was almost within reach, her eyes so clear, her skin so smooth, her lips so enticing. He bent his head to kiss her.

  Garrett yanked him away by the arm. “Whoa, there! We don’t kiss unknown ladies, however pretty they are.”

  “But she’s mine,” Ruell blurted, and then frowned. Where had that come from?

  “Well, let’s wait until we know who the fuck she is before we start claiming ownership, all right? There’s magic going on here, and we need to be very, very careful, until we’ve got some idea what she wants, understand? And I have to say, you’re not helping matters, lady, walking in here and enticing a man without so much as a word. Do you talk? Can you understand Low Mesanthian? I can make a stab at a few other languages, if that’s a problem. Do you speak Kashinorian? No? Well, not many do in these parts. What about High Mesanthian? You look rich enough that that might be your language. Bennamorian? Um… I know a few dialects—”

  “I understand you,” she said, in Low Mesanthian, although she didn’t take her eyes off Ruell. Her voice was soft and melodious, falling on Ruell’s ears with all the gentle harmony of a rippling stream.

  Garrett’s voice was harsh by contrast. “Good. Then how about some introductions? I’m Garrett, this is Elestra and you seem to be getting on quite well with Ruell already. Not sure about the dragon’s name.”

  “I am the Second Daughter of the Spirit of Mesanthia.”

  “The Second—? Well, fuck me!” Garrett said. “You’re a long way from home, lady. What brings you here?”

  “Ruell brings me.”

  Garrett groaned in despair, but Elestra burst out laughing. “Let him kiss her, Garrett. I want to see what happens.”

  “By the Nine, what’s the matter with everybody? We’ve got a battle raging not ten paces away from us, some unknown woman opens a magic door and starts seducing Ruell with the power of her eyes, and no one else seems to think a bit of caution might be in order?”

  Elestra laid a hand on Garrett’s arm. “The seducing is going both ways, and unless you can break the spell, they’re going to end up kissing and whatever else the magic compels them to do sooner rather than later. The only thing to do is to stand well clear, in case they explode.”

  Garrett huffed a breath in exasperation, but then, abruptly, he started laughing. “Right. Ruell, I’m going to let go of your arm, all right? Please try not to explode.”

  The hand withdrew. Ruell stood swaying for a moment, his eyes fixed unwaveringly on the girl’s. Garrett was still talking, but his voice was tinny and far away, like a gnat buzzing. He was alone, aware only of the dragons in his mind and the astonishing vision of loveliness in front of him. He moved towards her, and she moved too, her eyes never straying from his. Another pace and then another and she was there before him, so close he could smell the perfume of exotic flowers that clung to her.

  He leaned forward and she stretched towards him, her head tilting for the kiss, her eyes closed.

  His lips touched hers, as softly as a butterfly landing on a flower. Sweet warmth flooded through him, and then—

  With a start, he jumped back. “What the—? You made my dragons disappear!” But no, there they were again, a little anxious, but all still there. He sent out soothing thoughts to them, and they quietened down.

  And as his worry faded away, there it was again, that irresistible tugging at his heart that drew him unquestioningly towards her. She felt it, too, for she leaned nearer, her mouth slightly open in anticipation.

  This time, there was no hesitation. He fell, drunk with her nearness, into her sway, his lips meeting hers with a crushing sweetness, the like of which he’d never known before. She tasted of summer fruits and salt and warm honey, and if the dragons were gone from his mind, instead she was there, a shimmering point of silver, with other silver points. Just as with the dragons, he could understand their minds and knew they meant him no harm. He didn’t understand it, but he didn’t care. Her arms were around him, enfolding him with her joy, and he was giddy with happiness. His world was right, with everything as it should be, and he was safe and loved, so loved.

  A long, long time later, he surfaced, gazing wonderingly into her eyes. “Taia,” he whisp
ered.

  “Shhh! You must not say my name aloud.”

  “What must I call you, then?”

  “Second Daughter. Or just Second, if there are no other Children around.But you can call me Taia when we talk like this. You can hear me?”

  He nodded, then laughed at his own stupidity.“I can hear you, although… I don’t understand any of this.”

  “It was a surprise to me, too.”Her mind was bubbling with laughter, making him want to laugh too.“I think we should separate.”

  “No!” The intensity of the anguish that roiled through him caught him unawares. Was she leaving him already?

  But there was that merriment in her mind again.“Not for long, sweet dragon man, but your friends are worried about you.”

  Very gently, she withdrew her arms and moved just far enough away to create a clear space between them. As she vanished from his mind, he cried out in dismay, but instantly the emptiness was filled with riotous dragon happiness, turning his dismay to laughter. He felt normal again, and although he was still fascinated by Taia, the irresistible compulsion was gone.

  “Well, that was interesting,” Elestra said.

  “Oh, have you stopped eating each other at last?” Garrett said, turning around from the wall. “If you can tear yourself away from your pretty lady, Ruell, perhaps you can send your red friend up to the top of the tower to retrieve my sword, if it isn’t too much trouble. There’s a minor war going on outside this door and I don’t want to be totally defenceless if it opens again.”

  “You will not be defenceless,” the Second Daughter said. She held out one slender arm, and flames rippled up and down it.

  “Very clever,” Garrett said, “but you’ll forgive me if I don’t put all my trust in a complete stranger who’s only been here for three flaps of a dragon’s wing. I’d feel safer with a sword in my hand.”

  “I’ll send Khanassha,” Ruell said, and immediately the red dragon lifted off and flew upwards, criss-crossing the column of moving balls in a shower of golden sparks.

  “Tell me about this fight outside,” Garrett said to the Second Daughter. “The ones in brown and red I know – that’s the Drakk’alona army, but the people in green and cream and gold?”

  “The Imperial Army,” she said, laughing. “They came with me. So far, they seem to be holding their own against the rag-tag boys of Drakk’alona.”

  “One in particular,” Garrett said. “The tall man, wielding two swords? I’ve only seen his like once before, in the arena at Mesanthia.”

  “Grand Champion Hytharn,” she said. “Or, as he is now known, the Third Protector of Mesanthia.”

  “He’s astonishingly good. Even now, he’s holding off five or six men at once.”

  “You can see that?” she said, turning her eyes fully on him in sudden interest.

  “I can see through others’ eyes, yes. A small talent, rarely useful, but I am watching the battle now, and I tell you, lady, they may be holding their own for the moment, but your champion and his friends are in trouble. They cannot escape, not with the entire Drakk’alona army camped around the tower. Ah, my sword.”

  The red dragon dropped it neatly at Garrett’s feet, then crouched, looking up at him with shining eyes, like a puppy looking for approval.

  “Thank you, my scaly friend,” Garrett said gravely. “I almost forgive you for destroying my glass ball. That’s better. I feel naked without a weapon. Not that I can do much to help those poor sods outside. If we open the door, we’ll be overrun with the Drakk’alona army, but if we don’t… your friends are doomed, I’m afraid. It was madness to come here.”

  “Perhaps, but I had to come,” she said. “I was drawn here. As soon as Ruell reached Drakk’alona, I knew, I felt him tugging at me, pulling me here. I could not have stayed away even had I wished to. Hytharn was forced to accompany me to protect me, and you may be sure that he berated me every step of the way, just as you are doing. But he is strong, and he can hold off the army until reinforcements arrive from the ship, I am certain.”

  “Surely we can do something?” Elestra said. “We have a dragon, a wind-blower, a fire-summoner and a mighty warrior with a sword, we must be able to do something with that lot. How many of your men are out there?”

  “Twenty-three.”

  “But they’re too far away,” Garrett said. “They’ve been working their way across the cavern. We need them right by the door if we’re to have any chance to get them in here.”

  “That is easy enough. I shall tell Hytharn. Wait…” Her eyes lost focus for a few moments, then she laughed, and snapped back. “He will bring them closer to the door.”

  “Gods, he’s moving fast!” Garrett cried in alarm. “We must be ready. Ruell, does your dragon understand which side he’s on?”

  “The cream and green, yes, got it.”

  “Elestra? Shit, he’s right outside the door already. Stand clear everyone!”

  Taia leapt to the wall and placed her hand on it. The door whooshed open, and immediately they were deafened by the cacophony of battle. The red dragon swooped over the heads of the fighters hissing and spitting fire, just as several Drakk’alona soldiers were blown back into the cavern beyond. Mesanthians poured through the gap, and Ruell, his mind half with Khanassha, had to jump aside to avoid being spitted on a short sword. Taia leapt into the fray, fire shooting from her fingertips. Several people screamed and ran away. And then, with just a few swirls of his pair of swords, Hytharn sent the last Drakk’alona soldier packing, and stepped through the door. Taia reached for the spot on the wall…

  “Khanassha!” Ruell screamed.

  With a final hiss of anger, the dragon screeched through the door even as it closed, in a golden waterfall of sparks. The door hissed to silence, the battle was gone and they were alone in the tower – just a dragon caller, a dragon, a wind-blower, a warrior, a fire-summoner and twenty-three exhausted soldiers, gazing in awe at the column of magically moving balls.

  “By the One! What is this place?” someone said.

  “Welcome to Ran’ashilla fah,” Garrett said briskly. “I hope you’ve brought your own food supplies, because I don’t think one haunch of venison is going to stretch very far. But we have plenty of water, and as many glass balls as you can catch.”

  ~~~~~

  There was one thing to be said for having the army about the place – they were very efficient. Within a few hours, they had made lists, organised dragon runs to and from their fleet of ships anchored outside the harbour walls, and made camp in the lower level of the tower. Sheets of sacking were strung up to make partitions, buckets were organised for latrines, bedding and firewood and cooking pots arrived in neat, dragon-sized bundles, and the tower echoed to the sound of many voices.

  “It’s a pity the dragons aren’t a little bigger,” Hytharn said. “If they can carry these pots, why not a human?”

  “It’s not unknown for them to drop things,” Ruell said. “Just look what they did to the table. I wouldn’t risk it just yet. When they’re big enough, we can fly out of here on their backs.”

  He rather liked Hytharn, a big, golden-haired man like a bear, whose prevailing attitude seemed to be that the world was a wonderful place, everyone was well-intentioned and if they occasionally presented a more hostile attitude, he was sure it was only a temporary aberration. He bore the Drakk’alona army no ill-will for its aggressive stance against its Mesanthian counterparts, even though the two cities were not in conflict and Taia had every right to go wherever she wished.

  “They just panicked, I expect,” he said cheerfully.

  “We’re supposed to be the enemy, not you,” Ruell said. “For all they knew, you could have been bent on the same errand as them – winkling us out of here. They could have asked you what you were up to first.”

  “Not sure I could have answered the question, though,” Hytharn said, with his ready smile. “Never seen Second do anything quite so…irrational before. All well between you, now? You’re at ease
with the situation?”

  Ruell couldn’t suppress the huge grin that spread across his face. Yes, he was most definitely at ease with the situation. He wasn’t quite sure why he’d been so drawn to Taia, or she to him, but they had needed each other. The kiss had resolved the immediate urgency, as if that one action had affirmed what they both already knew – that they belonged to each other, in some unfathomable way.‘She is mine.’So he had said, and so it was, just as he was hers, and he was utterly contented with that.

  He knew Garrett wasn’t comfortable with it, for he’d been glaring at him all day, and whenever their paths had crossed, Garrett had frowned and looked grumpy. He was just concerned about him, Ruell understood that. He didn’t know Taia and couldn’t see into her mind as Ruell could, couldn’t see the love shining there. All he saw was a girl who appeared out of nowhere and started kissing him. He could see how odd it must look to others, even if in his own mind there was not the slightest hint of anxiety.

  But at the back of his mind was a niggling worry. Kisses weren’t enough, would never be enough. Sooner or later, they would have to move beyond kisses and then… Here his imagination baulked. His previous attempts had been disastrous, and ended up with him so connected with one of the dragons that he hadn’t been able to disentangle himself. It had been unspeakably humiliating, and he couldn’t bear the same thing to happen with Taia. But there was no opportunity to talk to her, not with so many people about, and so much bustle going on. He was busy watching over the dragons flying back and forth with supplies, and Taia was tucked in a corner with Elestra and Garrett, keeping out of the way. And where could they go anyway? With the whole lower floor taken over by the soldiers, the only privacy was the room at the top of the tower, already Garrett’s and Elestra’s domain. It was awkward.

  But evening brought a decent meal at last, with a fruity kind of ale and savoury rice dishes and fresh bread from the Mesanthian ships’ bakers. There were even musical instruments of some strange kind with strings, played by plucking. When the Mesanthians seemed to be settled in for an evening of singing and music, Taia caught his eye and tipped her head slightly towards the stairs. His stomach lurched. This was it, then, his moment of utter humiliation. But he followed her willingly enough, because at least they would be alone together and he could explain. Would she understand? Probably she would, because when they touched, she was inside his head in some way, just like the dragons, so she could see all his thoughts and fears.