She sighed in frustration. She desperately wanted to go out and do something. Salabine had departed the night before so she could not even spend time in the garden talking to the dragon.
“Why don’t you send an update to Brin’s friend, Nasse did you say his name was?” Dean suggested.
“Nisse,” Sam corrected. “Are you sure you don’t mind?”
Dean kissed her on the cheek. “Of course not. You promised to keep him informed so you should tell him about what has happened. I will go and find you something to write on.”
Sam couldn’t help smiling. Since they had been reunited, their relationship had gotten better and better. When he mentioned Brin or the baby, he no longer had a look of disgust on his face and he had started to speak positively about the future. If he had any doubts about their relationship, he was hiding it well and she was beginning to believe that they really could make it work.
It did not take him long to find what he was looking for and he soon returned with writing equipment and paper. “It is a nice day. Why don’t you sit outside in the sun? Mama Rose needs more firewood so that will keep me occupied for a while.” Sam agreed, so Dean placed a chair in the garden, close enough to the wood pile that she would be able to attract his attention if she wanted anything, but far enough away that his chopping would not disturb her too much.
By the time Dean had finished with the wood pile, the sun was high overhead and he could smell wonderful aromas drifting from the kitchen. Sam was surrounded by screwed up pieces of paper. Writing to Nisse had been a lot harder than she had expected. She wanted to tell him everything, but not in a way that would make him panic.
“Finished?” Dean asked as he walked up to her. He had removed his shirt and was covered in sweat. As he leaned in to kiss her, she pushed him away.
“You need to take a bath,” she said, laughing.
“From what I remember, you used to like me like this,” he replied playfully.
“You smell,” she said. Dean noticed that she had not contradicted him. “Yes, I think I have finally managed to put everything into words,” she said in answer to his question. “How do I get it delivered?”
“Mama Rose is going to the village this afternoon. She has promised to take it with her and organise a courier. Now, time for lunch.” Ignoring her protests, he picked her up and carried her into the kitchen.
On Mama Rose’s orders, Sam tried to have an afternoon nap. She insisted that she was not tired, but it did not take long for her eyes to become heavy. The next thing she knew she was sitting in the garden, watching her young son play by the stream. He had a ball, which he was kicking then chasing, laughing as he played. She could not help smiling at him. Hearing Dean call her name, she turned round. His head appeared at the open window and he asked her if she wanted anything to drink. Before she could reply, she heard a splash and turned her head back, ready to call out to her son that she would retrieve his ball for him.
To her horror, she could not see him. “Dean,” she screamed, jumping out of her chair and running forward. The stream was not very deep, but deep enough for a child to drown in. By the time she reached the bank, Dean was by her side. Looking at the water, they spotted a strange man, waist deep in the water. Her son was in his arms. Much to her relief, the man was wading towards them and she could hear the child crying.
“This is yours I believe,” he said, handing the wet child over to her. “I was walking past on the other side when I heard him fall in. He appears to be unharmed, though a little shaken.”
Sam recognised the voice, though she could not place it. “I don’t know how to thank you,” she said, hugging the boy tightly.
“I’ll get a blanket,” Dean volunteered and ran back to the house.
“I was happy to help,” the strange man said. “Now I must be on my way.”
“But you are soaking wet,” Sam protested. “The least we can do is offer you a place to get dry.” The man was dressed in dark green trousers with a grey cloak, the raised hood obscuring his face.
“I am fine, I assure you. It is a nice day and my clothes will soon dry.” He started to walk away, but paused to address her once more. “I am your friend. I am here to help you. Trust me.”
It seemed a very strange thing to say and Sam was puzzled by its meaning. She heard movement behind her and turned to see Dean approaching, blanket in hand. Once her son was wrapped up in it, she looked to see where the strange man had gone, but he was nowhere to be seen.
A short while later she woke up, feeling refreshed and relaxed, all memory of the dream wiped from her mind.
A few days later, Sam was once more in the garden when she heard a familiar voice calling out.
“Hello, is anyone home?”
“Seth,” she shouted. “We are round the back.” Her face lit up when she saw Seth appear, closely followed by Dal; Brodin and Cirren strolled leisurely after them. Sam made to stand up, but both Seth and Dean instructed her to remain seated. Dal hugged her tightly, enquiring after her health, while Dean welcomed the men. Hearing voices, Mama Rose exited her cottage. Seth and Dal she was already acquainted with and greeted them like old friends. Dean introduced the two Princes, who both bowed their heads at the witch. As royalty, they outranked her, so it should have been she who was bowing to them, but they had both heard of her reputation and knew this was a woman worthy of deep respect.
“Welcome to my home,” she said. “Come inside and I will make tea.”
For the remainder of the day, and well into the night, they talked. Initially the new arrivals listened to Sam’s tales of what had befallen her travelling companions since the team had split into two. Dean had already told Sam and Mama Rose about his adventures, so the rest of the time was taken up by Brodin and Cirren entertaining Mama Rose with all that they had done since the beginning of the quest.
Hawk joined them once the sun had set. Dal and Seth were glad to see him again. They had missed his presence greatly, and not just for the regular supply of meat he provided. When Mama Rose saw Sam yawn, she declared it was time to get some sleep and began to fret over where everyone would sleep. Seth, Dal, Brodin and Cirren were more than happy to sleep outside and Hawk accompanied them as they departed, flying off into the sky once he had bidden them all a good night.
Despite going to bed at such a late hour, Mama Rose awoke at dawn and was pleased to find a brace of wild geese and the bodies of half a dozen rabbits on her kitchen table, all completely drained of blood. Now that she had four more mouths to feed, the meat was badly needed. “Thank you Hawk,” she murmured to herself as she started to pluck the birds.
It took Tor and his friends almost another week to arrive at the cottage. It felt good to have everyone together once more and there was much rejoicing. Sam was not the only one crying when she saw Ellen; Dal too was overcome with emotion and Seth had to wipe his eyes when he hoped nobody was looking. There was a lot of catching up to do, but both Sam and Dean already knew the stories both sides would tell, so after they had heard about Ellen’s reincarnation, Dean insisted on Sam getting an early night, stating that the excitement of the day must have exhausted her. She wanted to protest, but knew he was right.
Although both teams knew the basics about what had happened to each other, thanks to Sam and Dean’s communications, they all wanted to hear more details. Quartilla shuddered when Dal mentioned the snake. Nobody commented when Cirren left the room, claiming he needed to relieve himself, but they could not fail to notice that he did not return until all conversation about the snake had finished.
“I knew that clue sounded too easy,” Patrick muttered when Seth told them about needing to pick the right gemstone, not just any one of the many present in the cave.
“Can we see it?” Ria asked. Brodin nodded and pulled it from his pocket, where he had placed it when Dean had handed it to him before climbing onto Salabine’s back.
“It does not look like anything special,” Ellen observed, looking at the dull black stone.<
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“May we see the seal?” Brodin requested. “It is sad that someone had to die to obtain it.”
“I, for one, will not be losing any sleep over it,” Dal muttered as Tor produced the item.
Once both objects had been observed by all interested parties, Tor took both, wrapped them in his handkerchief and put them in his pocket.
“Has Sam had any nightmares since she arrived?” he asked Mama Rose, wishing to change the subject.
“Not that I am aware of,” the witch replied. “Nobody has mentioned any bad dreams to me. There must be something more to this for you to bring it up.”
Between them, Tor and Nosmas told her about Sam waking up screaming, dripping with sweat. Mama Rose was concerned with their frequency and the fact that they seemed to have stopped did not put her at ease.
“This sounds like some sort of enchantment,” she said.
Nosmas nodded. “That is what I thought, but when I tested her, I could find nothing.”
Mama Rose frowned and pursed her lips. “You made her undress I presume.”
Nosmas nodded. “I have never heard of any sort of spell or enchantment being placed within clothes. Is it possible?”
“Not that I know of. Metal can hold magic, but not material. None of her clothes contain metal do they?” Everyone sitting round the table shook their heads.
“What about jewellery?” Ria asked. “She wears a necklace.”
“Was she wearing it when you tested her?” Mama Rose asked Nosmas, who shook his head.
“I made her take it off. It never occurred to me that it could be enchanted.”
“Where did she get it?”
“Dean bought it for her, from a man in an inn,” Ria said, realizing how suspicious that sounded as she spoke the words. She had never heard of someone selling things to strangers in an inn before. Except for specially commissioned pieces, jewellery was always sold in shops or from market stalls. She had thought it odd at the time, so why had she allowed Dean to purchase it?
“I see,” was the only comment Mama Rose made. “I think I should take a look at this necklace. Stay here,” she instructed before leaving the room.
She quietly opened the door to the bedroom Sam was sharing with Dean, wincing as it creaked a little. Sam was cuddled up in Dean’s arms and neither moved as she approached the bed. The necklace was clearly visible, the dragon pendant resting on Sam’s shoulder. Taking it in her hand, she whispered a spell and the chain broke apart. Jewellery in hand, she left the room as silently as she had entered.
She returned to the kitchen and threw the necklace onto the table.
“Well?” Nosmas asked.
“There is definitely something wrong with it. I felt it the moment it touched my skin. You should try.”
Nosmas did as instructed, a tingling sensation moving up his arm as soon as he picked up the pendant. He quickly dropped it. “The chain is fine, it is the dragon that has been enchanted.”
“Can you remove the spell or do we have to destroy it?” Tor asked. He knew that it meant a lot to Sam and did not wish to deprive her of it if there was an alternative.
Nosmas nodded. “It should be relatively easy.” He picked it up once more and started speaking softly and quickly. The necklace began to glow. Nosmas continued speaking until the light around the chain became so bright the onlookers had to cover their eyes. Nosmas spoke one last word and there was a blinding flash. When they were able to open their eyes once more, everyone saw that the necklace had returned to normal. “It is done,” Nosmas announced.
Somewhere far away, a man dressed in a hooded cloak howled in frustration.
Chapter 24
Everyone stared at the necklace in Nosmas’s hand. The red eyes of the dragon pendant had become dull where before they had shined brightly.
“What do we tell Sam?” Ria asked.
“Nothing,” Tor replied. “It will only upset her and I want to avoid that as much as possible right now. Besides, she and Dean seem to be finally working things out and announcing that he was the cause of her nightmares might undo all of the progress they have made.”
“I agree,” Mama Rose stated. “I will return the necklace to her and hopefully she will not notice that it has changed.”
Sam, however, did notice. As soon as she awoke and her gaze fell on the pendant, she saw that the eyes no longer shone. When questioned, everyone acted innocent, claiming they had no idea what the cause could be. Eventually Sam had no choice but to let the matter drop.
“I am glad it means so much to you,” Dean told her. He did not notice Nosmas wince at his words.
Mama Rose interrupted, stating that she needed to assess Sam’s recovery. Tor had indicated that he wanted to leave as soon as possible, but the elderly witch refused to give her consent for Sam to depart unless she was sure the journey would not be detrimental to her health, or that of her unborn child. Ellen went with them, in case there was anything she would need to do for Sam, should they be given permission to leave.
While Mama Rose and Ellen were with Sam, Brodin caught Tor’s eye and tilted his head towards the door. Taking the hint, Tor followed his brother into the garden.
“There are a couple of things we need to discuss,” Brodin said as the two Princes walked slowly next to the flowerbeds. “Queen Tibia has started to think about marriage and I told her we could make some suggestions, once this quest is over.”
“I take it you already have some ideas,” Tor stated.
Brodin smiled. “Just one.” He told Tor the name of the man he thought would make the ideal husband for the young Queen. Tor could not keep the grin off his face when he voiced his agreement.
“I think between us we can make this happen as soon as we are in a position to do so. You are sure that Tibia will agree.”
“Pretty sure, yes,” Brodin confirmed.
“So what else is on your mind?” Tor asked.
The smile dropped from his brother’s face. “What happens when the quest is over? Who will be King?”
Tor laughed. “That is easy. You will be.” Brodin started to argue, but Tor silenced his protests by raising his hand. “Think about it. Do you really think it would be a good idea to put either me or Cirren on the throne?”
“You have a good point about Cirren,” he conceded, “but you will make a good King.”
“Who knows? Stanger things have happened. But the point is, I do not want to be King.” Tor squeezed his brother’s shoulder affectionately. “You are the only valid option I am afraid, your Majesty.”
“Cut it out,” Brodin ordered. “I am not your ruler yet.” The look that accompanied his words told Tor all he needed to know. Brodin knew he was right and would take the crown when the time came. If the time came.
“Will you do me a favour,” Brodin continued.
“You know I will do anything you ask.”
“If I die before we finish this quest, promise me you will do what needs to be done.” Tor wanted to assure his brother that he was worrying about nothing, but he knew he would be lying if he said the words. Instead he just nodded his head.
The mood had turned somber, so Tor attempted to lighten it. “I know one thing for certain. If I live through this, so will either you or Cirren.”
“What makes you so sure of that?”
“Because if I am left alone with mother, I will have Mama Rose reincarnate one of you. There is no way I am going to suffer alone.”
The two Princes were laughing once more by the time they returned to the kitchen.
Once darkness had descended, and Hawk had awoken, the group said their goodbyes to Mama Rose and started what they hoped would be the final leg of their journey. Both Mama Rose and Ellen had certified that Sam was well enough to leave the cottage, though they did force her to promise to ride in the wagon instead of on Thresnine’s back. It did not take them long to reach the Great Highway and head in a westerly direction.
Dean drove the wagon. He wished to be close to Sam and
was constantly checking on her, making sure she did not need to take a break. His concern, though understandable, soon began to feel more like smothering and when he asked how she was feeling for what seemed like the hundredth time, she snapped her reply at him. Thresnine, who had insisted on pulling the wagon, turned her head back and Dean was sure she was grinning at him.
“What is so funny?” he asked the horse.
“Nothing,” she replied, turning her attention back to the road.
“Is it possible for a horse to snigger?” Dean asked Sam, who smiled at him. “I was over doing it a bit wasn’t I?”
“Just a little,” she confirmed. “The word irritating definitely springs to mind. If I am feeling unwell or need a rest, you will be the first to know.”
A sound came from behind them as Hawk landed in the wagon. “How are you feeling?” he asked.
Sam sighed dramatically. “Not you as well.”
“She is obviously recovering,” Hawk commented to Dean, ignoring the glare Sam directed at him. “The sun will be up soon so I am going hunting. I just stopped by to let you know that there is a bridge over the next hill. You may want to take a break before crossing. The land becomes rather barren on the other side, so it is the last shelter you will have for a while.”
“Thanks,” Dean said. “Speak to Tor. I’m sure he will agree with you.”
The stop was brief, just long enough for the horses to drink and graze and the humans to take care of ‘bathroom needs’, as Seth put it.
“Bathroom needs indeed,” Sam could be heard muttering as she made her way into the trees for some privacy. “You need an actual bathroom to have bathroom needs.”
“How long till we reach the next town?” Dean asked Tor as he watched Sam disappear from sight. Ria and Ellen had both gone with her so he was not concerned about her safety.
“We should reach Camal in a few days. Why?”
“I think Sam is getting fed up with peeing behind a tree now that she is having to go so often. We may want to consider leaving her at an inn somewhere before her complaining becomes unbearable.”
The Pendant Page 26