by LeRoy Clary
He said, “I have an idea.”
“Tell me, oh wise one,” Cinder laughed quietly.
Ignoring her perky mood, he said, “Moon is a scribe. Well, sort of one. We need him to write down our questions and ideas, put them in an understandable order, and then we need to disseminate them to all our people for their responses.”
Cinder said, “And they need a way to respond to him. How are you going to manage all that?”
“A step at a time. At the inn, I’ll tell Moon what we want, get him pens and ink, and we will begin a document. If nothing else, it’ll give us a path forward and let others know what we’ve done. Our ideas, questions, and suggestions will be written down so we can look at them and discuss them with ourselves and others. Please don’t laugh.”
Cinder shook her head slowly as she spoke, “I’m not laughing. You make more sense than anyone in this city.”
Rake waited for the laugh or insult that never arrived. He turned to his robe again. “What are we going to do with them?”
Cinder said, “Staying here much longer is too dangerous. Hungry predators can arrive at any time, a bear, lion, wolves, you name them. You’re going to carry the smelly eggs back to the inn where we will decide our next step or two.”
Rake bent and carefully grasped his robe by the bottom hem and lifted. It was heavier than expected—not heavy in the sense of the work required to carry a load of green firewood, but more weight than was easily carried in one hand. He shifted the robe and slung it over his shoulder and carried it like a sack of vegetables going to the trading post at home.
Cinder started to unstring her bow. He shook his head.
“Why not?” she asked. “Scared of another dragon attack?”
“Not with Red up there watching over us, but without my robe, I feel exposed. Remember, there is a reward for us, and I’m no longer disguised.”
A flicker of understanding crossed her face before she smirked. “So, what you’re really saying is that you want me to look out for you. Be your protector. Guard you against the big bad men in Mercippio?”
Rake ignored her verbal barbs by simply agreeing with a nod. If he had to be protected, Cinder was the one he’d want doing it. He took the lead, and before long reached the top of the city and the first street. Columns of smoke rose from two places, neither near the Rocking Chair.
Cinder paced alongside, her eyes watching. She said, “That black singled you out, you know. Out of all the people in Mercippio and all the places it could have attacked, it found you and came directly at you. That’s the second time, and that should worry you.”
“It’s dead.”
“No matter. It singled you out, and however it did that, for whatever reason, it could happen again. Not with Red up there,” She jammed a thumb at the sky, “but the next time Red is gone, the same thing could happen. Another Black may fly over and look for you. Do you have any plans for that?”
Without thinking about his response, he said, “I was thinking of standing near the Two Fish, or Three Cats or whatever the names of those other inns are during the next attack. Let the Blacks find me there while I run away after the dragon destroys the inns.”
They walked past people still stunned at dragon attacks in their city in two separate days. A few limped, one wore a bandage around his neck to support an arm, and others were exhausted from fighting fires or helping in other ways.
Cinder finally said, “You’re kidding, right? About letting the dragons attack you?”
“Maybe,” he conceded. “But it’s not a bad idea.”
“It’s a terrible idea.”
Rake glanced up when a woman did first, stark terror on her face. The Red was still directly above, barely flapping its wings as it rode the winds to remain aloft. He wanted to assure her the Red posed no danger, but there was no way to do that. Instead, he lowered his eyes and said softly, “It does seem like that Red is staying with us. For how long, I wonder?”
“Of course, it is,” Cinder said. “When the two of you bonded near Frog’s farm, it became your protector and you should be thinking about protecting it.”
“And it’s family,” he muttered.
“What’s that?”
Rake shook his head to help clear the thoughts and followed a new path. “Remember the pair mating? We thought they might be going to the volcano north of where we live. To lay their eggs? The Red is one of them and may soon have eggs too.”
“That’s where we should go,” Cinder said with a snap of her fingers. “It’s remote, the ground is warm, and there are dragons nesting. They will keep the area clear of wolves and whatever predators like to eat baby dragons. And they will protect us in the process. You’re a genius.”
Rake pulled back mentally. Then he realized she was right. It might be a good idea. Even a great one. Or, it might be one of the stupidest ideas ever.
A pair of large, rough looking men approaching pulled to an abrupt halt in the street as they drew knives. Their demeanors became aggressive.
Cinder said calmly, “I see them.”
Rake pulled to a stop fifty steps away from the two men and called out cheerfully, “This is a beautiful day to die, isn’t it?”
“We’ve been searching for you,” one growled.
“Well, you’ve found me.” He whispered to Cinder, “Nock two arrows.”
“Have you ever seen a performer do that?” She hissed. “One of those traveling shows? Or, I should have said, bow and arrows?”
While she complained, she did as he asked. He stepped to one side and waved a theatrical arm at Cinder, who looked ridiculous with the two arrows fitted to the string of her bow as she tested the pull.
“What’s he think he’s going to do?” the same bounty hunter asked, mistaking Cinder for the boy she pretended to be in her robe.
“Him?” Rake chuckled as he waved both arms to draw their attention, as well as the attention of the others nearby, “Oh, don’t let his young age fool you. He has spent the last three years in the Brownlands with his mentor learning to fire a pair of fire-arrows at the same time and strike different targets. Three whole years they say. Nothing but archery practice all day long. Now, I’ve never seen him do it, so I’m going to watch carefully. His mentor says he never misses, but I find that hard to believe. What about you? What do you think?”
“Nobody can do that,” the same man snarled and edged forward a few tentative steps.
Rake shrugged and said, “I didn’t think he could either until I saw him take down that dragon lying dead on the commons in the forest right up there behind us. Put so many arrows in it, the damn thing almost fell out of the sky right on top of me. Go check for yourselves if you don’t believe me.”
A bystander said, “I saw it flying around up there, then it attacked and never flew up from the commons. I know because I watched. It's still up there.”
The other bounty hunter who hadn’t yet spoken took a careful step backward. The other hissed an order at him, but the second man suddenly spun and ran. Now there was only one. Cinder allowed one arrow to fall to the ground, the other positioned and ready to fire at him.
Rake decided to push the matter. At the fifty steps away from where they now stood, Cinder might miss. They still hadn’t practiced like they’d promised Carver. He started slowly advancing while hearing the crunch of her feet on the packed-dirt road right behind him. He still carried the robe over his shoulder so couldn’t reach for his weapons. He depended on Cinder. At thirty steps away, she wouldn’t miss. He kept walking.
The bounty hunter shouted for him to halt, screamed for him to stop, and threatened him, but Rake continued slowly advancing.
The bounty hunter suddenly lost his nerve as he darted off to one side, then fled while watching over his shoulder. He didn’t appear menacing from that angle.
Rake said, “I expected you to fire an arrow at him.”
“He was a coward. He was going to run if threatened.”
“You don’t know that. H
e might have run right at me,” Rake said.
“Then he would certainly be dead.” She spat the words as if fact.
A small crowd had appeared during the confrontation and most had already dispersed to tell their tales, which would no doubt be enhanced. However, a man of near forty walked closer and said, “Mind if I walk with you to help keep the Breslau scum away? Haven’t seen anybody stand up to them for months. ‘Bout time someone did.”
“We’d be grateful,” Rake said.
A short, plump woman of thirty with red hair and a redder face fell into step with them. She said, “I seen what you did with that ugly thug back there. Makes me feel good somebody stands up to them for a change. And you say you killed a dragon?”
As they walked, the woman called out to another, a thin woman who looked old enough to be her mother. She said, “He backed down some of Hadrian’s men all by himself. We’re just making sure they get safely to the Rocking Chair. He’s the one that killed a dragon up in the commons.”
“Mind if I join you?” The old lady wore a grin wider than any Rake had seen in Mercippio since he arrived. “I’ve got a few things I’d like to tell Hadrian’s men. And Tomas, too.”
The scene was repeated with variations a few more times in varying degrees until there were more than ten strangers escorting them. At one corner, a man, another bounty hunter, recognized Rake and moved a few steps closer but paused when the group surrounded him and ordered him to leave. Angry words were exchanged. Two more people were recruited during the confrontation and as a group, they walked down the center of the street shielding Rake the entire way. If there were more bounty hunters, they made themselves scarce.
At the inn, Cinder stepped up on the porch and thanked them all for their protection, then offered to pay for an ale or two for them all. There were smiles and handshakes all around, and they entered the dining room to the dismay of Demi.
She raced to serve them, and Moon and Sadie leaped to help. Others joined. A woman asked if her husband was welcome and that spurred Cinder to call for attention again. She stood on a chair and shouted, “We are so happy to have you here to help us. That lady over there asked if your friends and family are welcome. The answer is yes!” She held up a large silver coin high over her head and yelled, “We drink, eat, and dance until this is spent.”
Cheers erupted, a few at first, then more until they cascaded into a roar. Several people raced outside to invite friends and family to join them and the free drinks. Before Rake finished his second mug of ale, there were no more seats available. Everyone was standing. He had placed the robe with the eggs carefully under a shelf where he could see and protect them. The party was fun, but thoughts of the eggs brought up one question after another.
People of all ages presented themselves and shook his hand. They introduced themselves, their friends, and mates. They lined up to have a few words with him. Rake did his best to treat each one well and listened to their words, always with a smile. His mother had told him to treat everyone as an individual and as if they were special, even the ones that suggested he go to his room and wash some of the dragon-stink off him.
When three minstrels arrived and started playing, he retrieved the robe with the eggs and snuck up the stairs where he found Cinder already in their room, washed and smiling. She was lying on her back on the bed looking up at the ceiling.
She said, “Do you know there are even more people dancing and singing outside in the street? The room downstairs is filled to capacity, so they are spilling over out there.”
“That coin must have been very valuable to pay for all that.”
“It was gone a long time ago. People are buying their own ale, beer, wine, and food. Demi is taking in more money today than she has in two or three months.”
He said, “We need to tell her about the meat-seller that didn’t show up for work. She said she was having problems locating meat. Maybe Demi can help her.” Rake went out on the balcony and looked down at the street. A cheer rose to greet him, and he waved back before stepping back in confusion at their attitude. He’d never pictured himself as a hero, but in the short time he’d been on the balcony, his sharp eyes had located at least four beautiful young women he’d enjoy meeting. “I think these people just needed a reason, or an excuse to have a party. Anything would have been fine. They’ve lived under the taint of Breslau and have had little to laugh and dance about.”
“Maybe that’s the sad secret of Mercippio today. Even after a dragon attack, the people are celebrating for the first time in a long time. And it’s all because of you.”
“No, you’re the one with the free drinks and the silver coin,” Rake said.
“There are lots of silver coins in this city. It is you they were excited about.”
Rake sat on the edge of the sleeping platform, thinking he might build one that was elevated at home, then tossed the idea aside. While he liked the platform bed in the room, the permanent installation of one would take up too much room in their tiny cabin. Every morning they rolled up their sleeping pads and stored them against the wall so they could use the minimal floor space for other things.
Thinking about a subject so removed from the day gave his mind a chance to rest and recharge. Cinder was right. There were many silver coins in the city but standing up to the bounty hunters had struck a chord with those who witnessed it—as if they wished they had done the same.
Cinder didn’t interrupt his thinking, as he sat beside her, the robe with the eggs was on the floor at his feet. He avoided thinking about them. Every thought brought a series of unanswered and unanswerable questions. His head throbbed and he couldn’t concentrate on any single idea.
He finally bent and unwrapped the eggs, finding all were in good condition if a little smelly. Cinder sat up and moved alongside him to stare at them.
Rake asked as he carried them to the bowl of water, “What if we carry these all the way to the volcano and they’re not fertilized?” He didn’t know how they’d take to the being soaked in water, but it shouldn’t hurt them. He rinsed and dried each one carefully.
“If they don’t hatch, then we wasted a lot of time that we can spare.”
“Can we use a light to check the eggs, as we do with chicken eggs?”
She waited before answering. “I suppose so. But my guess is there isn’t any need for that. From all I’ve heard, dragons only lay eggs after mating—so we can assume these are fertile.”
That both saddened and cheered him. It answered one question but brought dozens of others to the forefront. He said, “Just so we understand each other, tell me what you think we should do.”
Cinder answered right away. “There is no question. With or without you, I’m taking the eggs to where our dragons are roosting, building a shack or hut to stay in, and caring for the eggs. After they hatch, who knows?”
“Our families?” Rake asked.
“We can depend on Frog to carry the word to them. I’ll give him money to pass on to your family to hire someone to do your chores until we return.”
“You’re making it sound too easy.”
Cinder flashed a smile that held little humor. Her eyes teared up and she fought them back.
However, he knew his statement had been correct. It was going to be far harder than Cinder explained, and it began with them escaping Mercippio. By now every bounty hunter in the city knew where they were and probably had already surrounded the inn. The reward had probably been increased. The bounty hunters were more determined.
Cinder asked, “Do you still believe Breslau is going to invade Oakhaven?”
That gave him pause, both because of the abrupt change in subjects and because he had come to have doubts. “I can’t be sure. I think they were planning to, and they sent the advance people to ease the way, but then Knavesmire invaded them and maybe things changed. Fighting two wars is a certain way to lose both and Breslau has never acted without forethought and planning.”
“So, your answer is, no?”
“Not right away. They will deal with Knavesmire first, then if they defeat that kingdom, they’ll send their troops east and attack us. If Knavesmire wins, it won’t be satisfied with only conquering Breslau, they’ll have their army march directly here.”
“So, we are going to face a deadly enemy. We just do not know which one.”
They sat beside each other, Rake with his eyes on the floor, and shifted the eggs now and then. His mind raced. He’d hoped Cinder would discredit at least part of his assumptions about the coming war. That she hadn’t, confirmed she held much the same beliefs.
At best, an invasion was slightly delayed. However, the idea that an invasion was approaching hadn’t changed, only the date. A year or five, it didn’t really matter. The Dragon Clan was backed into a corner—literally. They lived in a long, narrow valley with no way to escape, no backdoor. Only a dry front door called the Brownlands that wasn’t easily opened.
They could live in peace for a short while, but war was coming. That was the message they needed to send to every Dragon Clan family that could be located. Unfortunately, Rake had no advice on what they should do. Escape to new lands seemed risky and unknown if it was even possible. Remaining was worse.
If Breslau won its war and advanced into Oakhaven, like they had done in Princeton so long ago, all men had been required to go without shirts for a summer season. Women wore clothing with open backs to allow any of the dragon designs to be instantly seen. Hundreds who tried to cover them with pigments were caught and publicly executed. Rake imagined the same happening again.
Cinder said, “There is an old saying about no mountains being too high to cross.”
“Meaning no problem is too much.”
“True. But that does not mean our people cannot send out our best woodsmen and hunters to search the mountains, and others talk to naturals to listen for rumors of a route through the mountains. Maybe an old one that is unused today. Or one that is so dangerous people don’t use it anymore.”