Within a few minutes, her breathing fell into a steady pattern, and he knew that she must have been exhausted. Increasing the glow of her gem, he used it to illuminate her fragile form. “Kaliwyn,” he breathed. Using an extended claw in the gentlest way he ever had, he caught her hair and removed it from her face so that he could observe her better.
Lamwen had never thought of mortals as attractive, but this one held a beauty stemming from deep within. Heating the air again, he watched her as she slept, his heart warmed that she trusted him enough to sleep within his presence. “Rest well, my queen,” he growled gently.
Hours later, dim light trickled into the cave, indicating the coming of the sun. Stirring, the dragon woke the girl, warning, “Your friends will awaken soon if they have not already.”
“Oh my God. I’m still in the cave!” she gasped, looking around wildly in dismay.
“Yes,” Lamwen chuckled, “you cannot tell me this rock floor is as comfortable as your bed.”
Frowning, she glared up at him. “It was comfortable enough wrapped within your wing,” she confessed. Throwing her arms around his neck, she sighed, “Thank you. As much as I hate the thought of my friends leaving, I look forward to the day when you may always be close at hand.”
Shaking his large head as she left him, he wondered if such a day would ever arrive. “Be careful,” he warned as she rushed down the incline through the trees.
Arriving back at their cabin, Amicia stomped her feet on the porch to remove the snow from her boots, then hurried inside. Pulling off her coat and gloves, she found that Meena had begun to prepare their breakfast. “Do you need any help?” the girl offered, hoping her long absence had not been noticed.
“Set out the bread and jam,” the older woman instructed, ready to awaken the others and face the day.
Stumbling out of their room a short time later, Bally complained, “Why do you insist on waking us?”
“Aye,” Rey agreed, taking his seat and eyeing their food. “We’ve nothing to do all day but stare out at the snow and walk up the hill for the occasional piss.”
“We need the routine,” Piers informed them, also falling into his seat. “With the short days of winter, it’s easy to lose ourselves and tumble into depressions or any other forms of mental infirmity.”
“Mental infirmity,” Bally parroted, sipping from his cup of warm morning tea.
“Don’t fret,” Amicia clipped, refreshed after her clandestine visit up the slope. “Just think. In a few weeks the thaw will begin, and we can start working on our boat and preparing for the journey home.”
Melancholy, Rey found it hard to agree with that sentiment. The cold of winter had surrounded them, removing the purpose from their days. What’s worse, when spring came, he would likely be divided from her forever, causing him to feel as if all the happiness had been drained from the world by the ice and snow.
Watching the girl until she arrived at her home next to the beach, Lamwen spent the day lying in the mouth of his cave. Between watching and dozing, he thought about the stories he had heard about Ziradon and what became of his heir.
There weren’t many, he had to admit, as Gwirwen had probably seen to it that any who knew the truth were either part of his legion or removed from their realm permanently. He did know of one, however, as there had been a young dragon who had told a tale a few times that earned him a reputation among the males of the dragon’s lair.
Thinking of this informant, Lamwen wondered if he even still lived, as he had been made an outcast by the others; deemed a liar and unfit to serve in the king’s guard. Watching as the boys came out of their cabin and ran up and down the beach for a few minutes before going back inside, he wondered if time would have altered the young dragon’s tale.
Deciding he had to find out and hear his story first hand, Lamwen left his cave at dusk. Flying due east, he headed for the dragon cliffs of Adiarwen. When he arrived, he entered the bachelor’s cave, the largest of those that pock the face of the cliff that hangs over the ocean. There, the majority of the unmated males spent their nights in the company of each other, while those who had been blessed with the duty of procreation were given private quarters in caves above, close to the rocky surface.
Ambling through the warren of passages, Lamwen sniffed at the slumbering dragons, searching for the outcast among them. He had to be careful, as the fewer who knew of his arrival, the better. The king and queen expected him to be at his post watching over New Abolia. Therefore, he certainly didn’t want to incur their wrath, confident they would be angry to discover him there.
Almost at the point of giving up, the elder dragon finally located his target, finding Jarrowan as he slept alone in an alcove along one of the outside walls and away from the others. Waking the beast, he growled, “Jarrowan, I need a word.”
“A word,” the younger dragon laughed. “I’m sleeping, pops. Bother me some other time.”
“Pops?” Lamwen felt certain the term had been meant as a slur. “Perhaps you are unaware of whom you are speaking to,” he growled.
“I know who you are,” Jarrowan snapped, adjusting himself to lie more comfortably. “Now go away.”
“I am the captain of the king’s guard, and I wish to speak with you,” Lamwen stated more forcefully.
Glaring at him in the near darkness, Jarrowan replied tartly, “I’m not in the king’s guard. I was banned, or don’t you recall?”
“I recall,” Lamwen agreed, walking a slow circle in the cramped space to ensure their conversation was unheard. “As I said, I need a word, but not here. Accompany me, and we will discuss that which has earned you disgrace.”
Laughing, Jarrowan considered holding to his refusal. “Why should I? I’ve been an outcast for years. What is it that suddenly draws your attention to me?”
Pausing in his pacing, Lamwen studied him, then hissed, “If you saw what you claim, you will understand my need for secrecy. I leave you now and trust you will not disobey my command.” Exiting, he dove off the front of the cliff, floating over the water a moment before flapping his large wings as he turned south and headed for the marshlands.
His curiosity piqued, Jarrowan followed the older dragon to the mouth of the cave. His eyes narrowed as he watched the captain disappear into the horizon, he leapt from his perch and pursued him to the swamp-covered grounds inhabited by the gnomes.
Seeing Lamwen below, Jarrowan circled twice, having a look around before deciding his confidence in the king’s most trusted leader. “I’m here,” he announced as he landed beside him, flapping his wings noisily. “What is it that you want?”
“Tell me about Ziradon, Kaliwyn, and Gwirwen,” Lamwen replied.
Snarling a twisted laugh, Jarrowan spat, “I’ve shared all that I dare. I’m surprised my words haven’t gotten me killed, or is that why you’re here?”
“The king has allowed you to live, perhaps branded a liar better than murdered as a martyr. Tell me what you know,” Lamwen insisted, pacing slowly around the smaller beast.
“I spied upon them the night he came to power,” Jarrowan explained, looking around and swishing his tail. “They trapped him with a spell and then made him watch as they turned the dragoness into a human.”
“A mortal of the rim?” Lamwen queried.
“Yes, a frail pink female with fair skin and wild blond waves.” His voice confident, he had given up on anyone believing his words. Meeting the older dragon’s glare, he waited for the laughter he had grown accustomed to hearing in response to his claims.
“And what did they do with this human girl?” Lamwen asked instead.
Uncertain, Jarrowan held the stare. “They removed her from Adiarwen,” he said more quietly. “Ziewen flew her to the rim and dropped her there. Nalen, I believe, was the location Gwirwen specified.”
His jaw tight, Lamwen breathed deeply for a full minute, considering his response. “What loyalty do you hold to our king?” he snarled.
Taken aback, Jarrowan broke the
connection, turning in a slow loop and muttering to himself as he gathered his thoughts. Finally, ready to face his demise if it would come, he replied, “Which king? The real one they imprisoned in the stone cage or the one who masquerades as our leader while Eriden crumbles?”
Warmth in his tones, Lamwen agreed, “You have seen the truth in our circumstances. You will be rewarded for your patience. Tell no one of this and await my instruction. You may return to the dragon’s lair.”
“Wait!” Jarrowan shouted before he could leave. “Tell me what has happened. Why have you only now found faith in my words?”
Studying his new ally, Lamwen took a turn, looking around them again, then whispered, “Our princess has returned to Eriden. I alone know of her whereabouts. When the time comes, we shall rise against those who have wronged our kingdom.”
His voice stolen, Jarrowan opened and closed his mouth a few times, then managed, “My captain, how can that be? Mortals of the rim… they do not come to Eriden easily.”
“It has not been easy,” Lamwen agreed, remembering what he knew of the girl’s journey. “Return to the lair and wait. Fear not. I will have a place for you in my army when the time comes.”
“Yes, my captain,” Jarrowan agreed, leaping into the air to do as he had been instructed.
Leaving the marshes as well, Lamwen flew to the west, wanting to be back in his cave before the sun rose over New Abolia for another day. I have made my first friend within our ranks, he mused as he flew, certain that albeit the step had been small, it had been a worthwhile trip. Jarrowan has confirmed what I have suspected, and one day, if we are successful, Kaliwyn will take her place as heir to the throne and the Supreme Dragoness of Eriden.
Trolls in the Trees
“God, I’m so glad the snow is finally melting. We’ve been stuck in here for months!” Rey lamented, glaring at the beginnings of their vessel through the wall and looking forward to working on it.
“Can I get some more of that delicious bread and jam?” Bally asked, giving Amicia an encouraging smile.
“I suppose that you can,” she replied, passing him the bowl of preserves. “We only have one other jar left, but there were plenty of them around last year, so I’m sure I’ll be able to make more once they’re ripe. I’ve never seen these berries before, but they are so sweet.”
“I believe they are called freens,” Meena informed her. “They grow all along the coast in wild patches, but there is a coastal village that has cultivated them to make large crops for wines.”
“I think we should find a clearing or two and plant some of these and a few other things to grow while we build our ship,” Rey suggested, helping himself to seconds as well. “We’re going to need to stock up before we sail.”
“They look like grapes,” Piers added, “except for this odd pink color. I’m for the planting though. The more we have, the more we can take with us when we depart.”
“Speaking of departing,” Zaendra observed, “there will be some of us left behind. We’ll need to plant enough so that both groups get to enjoy the freens.”
Laughing merrily, the crew ate their breakfast before they faced the hard day ahead. The snow had been melting for a few weeks, and they would be felling more trees for ship building that very day. They had managed to construct the keel before the snow brought their efforts to the halt, and all seemed eager to continue their efforts.
Once they had eaten, they donned their leather coats and gloves, as the air was still quite cold beneath the trees. Outside, they broke up into work groups, with Rey and Piers taking on the chopping, Bally and Animir dragging them down, and Meena and Amicia stripping the bark so they could cut proper boards.
Humming while she worked, the older woman seemed quite content, but Ami had been troubled when the announcement came that the work would commence. Noticing her happy sounds, she sighed, “Doesn’t this bother you?”
“What bother me?”
“You are helping to build the ship that will take your lover away. Shouldn’t you be upset or something?”
“I suppose that I could be,” Meena laughed. “But I love Piers. I know that he doesn’t really belong here, and I want him to be happy. If he wishes to return to the rim, it is my duty to help him make that happen.”
Scowling, the girl groaned, “I’m not sure I could be that unselfish.”
Cutting her eyes over, Meena asked quietly, “Are you going to accompany Rey then, when they depart?” When the girl continued her scraping without a sound, she pushed, “Or has he decided to remain behind with you?”
“We have not spoken of it,” Amicia confessed in a quiet voice, working furiously. “I can’t go back there. I feel that my place is here, and he must make his own choices.”
“And you have no desire in the matter?” Her hands still, Meena studied the girl, reading sorrow in the hunch of her shoulders.
“I cannot tell him what to do,” she spat, stopping long enough to give her an angry glare. “I have taken no vow with him, nor given him any promise for the future. He is a free man, and he may leave if he desires.”
At that moment, a shrill scream cut through the air from some distance away.
Her heart racing, Amicia sat up straight and looked around, then up the slope. “Oldrilin?”
Clearing the tree line, Lin and Zae ran towards them. On their feet, the two women met them about a hundred yeards up the beach, north of their cabin. “For goodness sakes,” Meena challenged, dropping to her knees before the smallest member. “What’s all the screaming about?”
“Up there,” Zaendra huffed, bending over to catch her breath. “We found something on the path.”
Bally and Animir joined them, but the other two men were not to be seen and might not have heard the commotion. Glancing around, Baldwin considered if they should investigate or wait for the Mate. Making his choice, he demanded, “Show me.”
Taking his hand, the nymph led him through the trees, the others close behind. They didn’t have to go too far before they came upon a long stick, which had been stabbed into the ground. On the top end hung a dead animal, one that appeared to have been there several days but was decaying slowly due to the temperature of the air.
“Wow, that’s attractive,” the boy observed, reaching for the carcass.
“Don’t touch it!” Piers shouted, joining them from the other direction. “We found another one up the trail on our way here.”
“Well, it didn’t get on that pole on its own,” Ami observed, covering her face in disgust.
“No, someone has put them there. We’re not alone in these woods,” Rey snapped. All turning to look at him, it should have been obvious, and he clipped, “Trolls.”
“Aye,” the Mate agreed, lifting the animal slowly as he looked for booby traps. Finding nothing, he sighed, “We’ll need to bury them.”
“What a waste,” Zae voiced, shaking her head.
“We can’t eat them,” Meena soothed. “We have no idea how long they’ve been dead. It would be a good way to poison ourselves.”
Her eyes darting around, then up to the sky, Amicia searched for any sign of Lamwen. Surely, he hasn’t had any part in this, she mused. Thinking it unwise to reach out to him and ask, she decided to keep this to herself. She had managed to visit him only once during the frozen winter months and still felt the need to hide his presence from her friends.
“I’ll dig the hole. We can gather them and put them in, and we’ll cover it up before we turn in tonight, assuming there will be more than the two we’ve already seen,” Rey offered.
“That’s good thinking,” Piers agreed, handing him the find. “We’ll take a short break for some water and get back at it when you’re done.”
“What are you going to do?” Meena asked, her voice lacking its typical confidence.
“I’m going to have a look around,” he said with a nod. “See if I find any more and take them down.”
Her lips pursed, Ami walked slowly back to her chore. Their mor
ning had begun with happiness and hope, at least on the part of the others, but the discoveries had darkened her mood even further. Glancing around, she saw shadows behind every tree, as if unseen eyes watched them, waiting for their chance to attack.
“You’ve warned us about the trolls many times,” Amicia observed as the two women reclaimed their tools. “Does it make you angry that Piers refuses to listen?”
Her arms pumping back and forth as she worked, Meena’s features crinkled. “I do not wish to speak of this.”
“Why not?” Ami clipped, her frustration obvious as she shrugged her shoulders. “You want to give me advice about Rey, let’s hear about you and the Mate for a change. You share a bedroom with him. Obviously, you are husband and wife in practice even if he has given no –”
“That’s enough,” Meena hissed. Cutting her eyes over at the girl, she spat, “Piers is a good man. I told you before, I feel the caring in his touch and see it in his eyes even if he cannot speak the words. That is enough for me. As for this place, he believes the trolls can be reasoned with.”
“But you don’t.”
“They are savages. They live in small groups of two or three, and they are not friends of any, not even each other,” the older woman explained. Inhaling deeply, she calmed herself. “I fear that he thinks we will remain here after his vessel sails, but we will not stay in this cabin. Once he returns to the rim, those who are left behind will return south and settle closer to the wizard communities where it is safe.”
“But you can’t stay there,” Ami pouted. “You are a wan. They would punish you for your talents.”
“Then I will once again keep them hidden. I have done so for many years. It will not harm me to do so again.”
Her lips pressed tightly together, Amicia thought of all the things the woman’s magical abilities had provided and all the things they would not have had without her. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“Tis not your fault,” Meena replied more softly. “You are a dear friend, Amicia Spicer. I have enjoyed knowing you.”
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