Deragan Sword Prophecy: Book 02 - Meladrom

by Rosemary Lynch

  “Goodnight Meladrom,” he said, turning and walking back towards the castle door.

  “Goodnight my King,” Meladrom replied, watching as he walked away. The great dragon licked his wound. Lowering himself down to a sleeping position, he closed his eyes. Tomorrow would see the beginning of the return of the Empire, and perhaps he would soon reunite with his mate and son.

  “Kainan what happened?” his mother cried in alarm as she saw him carrying Arweyn in his arms, along the upper floor corridor.

  “Do not worry mother she is fine,” he assured, as she rushed towards him.

  “Fine, she does not look fine, she looks unconscious!” she cried, reaching her hand towards Arweyn, and feeling her brow.

  “Please mother she will be okay. She just needs to sleep for a while.”

  “Kainan what happened to her?” his mother demanded looking up at him.

  He bit on his lower lip.

  “She has taken a drop of dragon’s blood, so she may understand Meladrom.” She looked at him horrified.

  “Dragon’s blood, Kainan what have you done? Your father lies in a deathly sleep because of a dragon and you allowed him to do that to her?” She looked mortified.

  “Mother she will be fine, I know what I am doing. I told you Meladrom is a true dragon, not a creature created by black magic.” She shook her head at him and frowned.

  “I hope you know what you are doing for her sake,” she said quite sharply, gently touching Arweyn’s arm.

  “I do mother,” he assured. His mother closed her eyes briefly and sighed. She really did not want her son to leave but she knew it would be pointless trying to stop him. She was still not sure whether she believed in this sleeping Empire, but he needed to find out for himself.

  “I will see you at sunrise before you leave.” Standing on the tips of her toes, she kissed his cheek.

  “Goodnight my son.”

  “Goodnight mother.”

  Gently, he laid Arweyn on their bed but she did not stir. For a brief moment, a wave of concern flooded him but then he pushed those thoughts away. He trusted Meladrom. Carefully he undressed her from her evening gown and tucked her into bed. For a while he just sat by her side looking at her, stroking her hair gently. Here he was again leading her into unknown danger. They were much stronger now than they had been when they fought the Gorzars. They had been practising their magic together, and had mastered a few good moves.

  “Sleep well my love,” he said with a smile, kissing her. They would be all right. He undressed and slipped in besides her, cuddling up to, her he placed his arm over her, lying awake deep in thought for a very long time.

  Seven ~ The Quest Begins

  As the sun rose, a small crowd had gathered in the courtyard. Wary of the dragon, they hung back tight against the wall, near to the door.

  “Goodbye mother,” Arweyn said, hugging her. Lady Elanor looked her up and down.

  “What are you wearing?” she asked, disapprovingly. Arweyn glanced down at her clothes. She wore her cloak and a tunic over trousers.

  “Trousers mother,” she replied.

  “Trousers are for men Arweyn, for goodness sake you are a queen.” She shook her head at her mother and kissed her cheek.

  “Mother you are so old fashioned. It is far more practical to wear trousers whilst sat on top of a dragon, and for climbing mountains, clambering through fores….” She lifted her hand to her.

  “Stop I do not want to know. I am frightened enough as it is with you going off with that dragon.” Lady Elanor glanced over to it.

  “Are you quite sure about this?” she asked again.

  “Yes mother I am. We will be fine I promise, just try, and think of this as our honeymoon.” She kissed her again.

  “Kainan please be careful. If you find nothing out there or….” His mother hesitated. “Something terrible, please come straight back home. Do not risk yours or Arweyn’s life.” He smiled understandingly.

  “Mother I know you are not convinced of what I have told you, but I promise we shall return along with our lost empire.” The Queen took a breath and then sighed. Her son was either brilliant or completely mad. She still found it hard to believe in a story of a lost Empire lying somewhere asleep for five hundred years. Yet Kainan seemed convinced of it and in his defence, there was this dragon. She leant forward.

  “Just stay alive,” she whispered before kissing his cheek. He winked at her and grinned.

  “I will.” He reached for his wife’s hand.

  “My Lord,” Drew said, approaching him. He bowed his head before asking. “Can I not go with you? I am sure your father would not want you two to go without an armed escort.” Kainan slapped the man’s back, holding his hand there for a moment.

  “Drew my friend, I really appreciate your concern and yes any other quest and you would be my right-hand man, you know that but this one Arweyn and I must do alone.” Drew frowned.

  “Why, it is insane? How will we know what has happened to you? How long are you going to be? We have no way of getting out through the boundary to send a search party should you not return.” Kainan sighed at the burly man’s distraught face.

  “Drew how long we will be gone I cannot say, at least a couple of weeks, with regard to getting through the boundary….” He touched the amulet around his neck. He could leave this for Gareion, he would be able to use it to go through the tunnels and get into the old Malgar that way. No. He felt he needed to keep it and if for some reason they did not make it back, Malgar would at least be safe within its bubble. “There is not much I can do about that,” he continued. “Gareion will be here to rule Malgar if I do not return.” Drew shook his head slowly, he was not happy, not at all!

  “Now we really must go,” he insisted, removing his hand from Drew’s back and taking hold of his wife’s once again.

  “Kainan wait!” a male voice yelled from the door. Kainan looked over and grinned.

  “You should have woken me!” Gareion moaned, breathless as he rushed to him across the courtyard in his dressing gown. He embraced his twin.

  “You look shattered,” Kainan said, grinning at him. Gareion faked a frown.

  “Thanks a lot,” he replied sarcastically.

  “We have to go,” Kainan insisted, hearing Meladrom’s feet stomping impatiently on the ground.

  “Okay, take care,” Gareion, begged, hugging him.

  “We will,” he smiled and then leading Arweyn, he began to walk away.

  “Kainan wait,” Gareion called after him. Stopping he turned around his brother ran to him and threw his arms around him. “Please, do not go and get yourself killed I like having you around,” he whispered. His twin nodded, patting his back.

  “I promise, I will be back brother,” he assured. Gareion released him, quickly wiping away a tear. They smiled at each other and Kainan walked away towards the dragon.

  “My King,” the dragon said, lowering himself down and bending his knee for them to climb up on to him.

  “I understand you,” Arweyn remarked, surprised. Meladrom nodded.

  “My Queen it is great to finally be able to understand you,”

  “And you Meladrom.”

  “Are you ready?” Kainan asked she nodded a little fearfully.

  “Do not worry my Queen you will be quite safe, my King would never let you fall.” Kainan grinned at his dragon. Arweyn took a breath and then climbed up onto Meladrom’s back, putting her pack in front of her. Kainan followed and sat tight behind her.

  “Lock your feet into his scales,” he instructed. She looked to see how he had done it, and then did the same. Once she was ready, he placed his arms around her waist and gave her a gentle squeeze.

  “Ready?” he asked, she nodded, her stomach turning over with nervous flutters.

  “Up Meladrom,” the young King instructed. Pulling back tight on his hind legs, wings tucked behind his back Meladrom launched himself into the air. Arweyn’s eyes widened as the sudden velocity astounded her, and
her stomach rolled sickeningly. She shut her eyes tight!

  As soon as he was free of the castle walls, Meladrom’s huge green wings opened and expanded outwards and he soared up towards the clouds. Arweyn’s hair was whipping backwards slapping Kainan continuously across his face. He shook his head and taking his hands from around her waist, he gathered her hair together. Arweyn felt him let go and panicked.

  “Kainan!” she screamed, gripping tighter to the dragon’s scales.

  “Just a moment, your hair is in my face,” he yelled, tucking her long locks inside her cloak, before returning his hands to her waist and holding on to her tight.

  The Queen and Lady Elanor clung to each other as they watched their children take off into the sky on the back of the dragon.

  “I hope he is right,” the Queen whispered.

  “Me too,” Lady Elanor concurred, before they and the crowd dispersed and re-entered the castle. Gareion stood alone for a moment watching until they finally disappeared from his sight.

  “Good luck brother,” he whispered, before turning and following the others back into the castle.

  ***

  “My King, ready your sword!” Meladrom cried as they approached the boundary. Hastily the young King withdrew his sword.

  “What are you doing?” Arweyn asked, still holding on for grim death.

  “I have to open the boundary. Just hold tight.” She nodded as she felt him move behind her. Meladrom altered his position mid-air, and she screamed hysterically as he banked hard to his right and began to fly sideways. Kainan rose to his feet, reaching his sword high above his head.

  “Open eslora melcant,” the King cried. The sword emanated a massive beam of light towards the invisible wall and the beam began slicing through the boundary, once again opening a gap large enough for them to pass through. Arweyn was still screaming as they emerged on the other side. Sitting back down Kainan replaced his sword and took hold of her. He glanced behind and smiled as the rift closed.

  “It is okay,” he said, reassuringly in her ear. She stopped screaming and took a breath, her heart pounding furiously.

  “Arweyn if your eyes are closed, open them and look behind us, I promise I will not let you fall.” Her eyes were shut, tight. Feeling his grip once again around her, she warily opened her eyes. Taking a steadying breath, she turned her head around towards him. He could feel her trembling under his hands. He smiled and a twitch of a smile tugged on her lips, as she looked at him. He dipped his head to the left.

  “Look, see. The city is completely invisible.” She followed his nod and then gasped both from the shock of how high they were and by the fact that the city they had just left was nowhere to be seen.

  “That is amazing,” she managed to whisper in between frightful gasps.

  “I know, but look down there to the right as we clear the mountain.” She shifted back around and looked over the other side. Meladrom skimmed low over the top of the mountain, the tips of which covered with the last of winter’s snow. She pointed.

  “Are they goats?” she asked.

  “Yes I think so,” he said back. As they cleared the mountain, her mouth dropped open.

  “My goodness Kainan,” she cried, as Meladrom soared over the top of the old castle of Malgar. Turrets rose high from all four corners. The mountain protected it from the rear and to one of the sides and at the front was a huge moat, beyond, which was the city. A great wall surrounded it again the city itself was five maybe even six times bigger than her own.

  “Wow it looks so amazing from up here,” she said in awe. Kainan breathed deep and nodded. Leaning forward close to her ear he said.

  “That was all ours five hundred years ago.” She turned catching his eyes, her eyes widening as he smiled back and they both looked back down as the city began to disappear from view.

  “Kainan this is just all so bizarre.”

  “I know. Just wait until you meet the other dragons,” he said. She swallowed as the thought of that still scared her to death! Meladrom dropped low, skimming across the clear blue water of the river.

  “It is so beautiful out here. I cannot believe we have been stuck inside that bubble, when all of this is out here!”

  “That is why we have to do this. Why we have to find this Gemini and take back what belongs to us, so we can take down the barrier and give all of this back to our people.” She nodded, her eyes still staring in wonderment at the sheer vastness of the forests below, and at the wonderful flowers that covered the snatches of glades and along the riverbanks.

  “Deer,” she pointed, lifting her hand briefly before gripping back hold of Meladrom’s scales tightly. He squeezed her in acknowledgement, and immediately thought of them as food for his dragons, he smiled, his dragons. How many people in this world or in any other world for that matter, could say that they had command of fifteen dragons.

  “My King can you hear me?” Meladrom’s voice suddenly popped into Kainan’s mind and for a moment, it startled him. In his thoughts, he replied.

  “Yes Meladrom, I hear you.”

  “We are connected so that we may communicate through our minds. The connection between us is so strong that I can hear you many hundreds of miles away. The distance from our lair to Gemini’s fortress is within easy communication. So when the time comes you can call to me with your mind and we shall come.”

  “Wow Meladrom that’s amazing. Can Arweyn hear you?”

  “No. This is our connection only she can hear my voice but no more.”

  “I understand,” he thought.

  “You can also see through the eyes of a dragon should you wish it.”

  “Eyes of a dragon, what do you mean?”

  “A dragon’s vision is different to that of a man. We have a more advanced vision. We use it to catch our prey. We can see movement and images long before a man would.”

  “How do I do that?”

  “There is a spell that you used to use. Alas, I do not know what it is, but I am sure as your memory returns to you, you will remember it. We are nearly there,” he then informed him.

  “You are quiet,” Arweyn said, finally beginning to enjoy the ‘flying’ experience.

  “I was talking to Meladrom.”

  “What? I did not hear him.”

  “No. We spoke with our minds,” he informed her. She turned to him and he smiled.

  “Apparently we shall be able to hear each other hundreds of miles apart.”

  “Wow,” she said.

  “Wow indeed,” he replied, smiling at her. Meladrom banked hard right and headed directly towards the face of a cliff.

  “What is he doing,” she cried, in sudden panic.

  “It is okay, we are here it is the dragon’s lair.” She gripped tighter as the cliff came swiftly upon them. Closing her eyes tight, she automatically held her breath.

  Meladrom landed with a slight thud. Opening her eyes with a little gasp, she stared into the darkness.

  “Arweyn either side of us there are torches, can you light them?” Kainan asked her. She nodded and raised her left hand.

  “Illumanartry,” she cried, waving her hands towards what she hoped were the torches. Instantly flames ignited and the left side of the cavern glowed with light. She repeated the same to the right and then stared for a moment in shocked horror as her eyes locked onto the fourteen dragons that stood in front of them. She began shaking. Kainan sensed it.

  “Do not be afraid of them,” he reassured. She nodded, easier said than done. Kainan jumped off Meladrom and held his arms open and his wife swung her leg over and dropped into his waiting arms. He held her close to him, as they approached the waiting dragons. Arweyn stared in wonder, as all fourteen dragons lowered their heads down to them.

  “Welcome back my King, my Queen,” Galtec, said. However, to Arweyn it was just a growl, and she felt disappointed that she could not understand this dragon. Kainan glanced at her.

  “He is welcoming us,” he informed her. She caught his gaze and smi
led.

  “Please tell him that I am honoured to meet them,” she whispered to him. He gave her a nod.

  “The Queen would like to say she is honoured to meet you.” Galtec’s lip lifted up over his gums in a kind of grin.

  “The honour is ours, please thank the Queen.” Kainan translated. Arweyn felt the flutters in her stomach dissipate. Kainan had been right these dragons could be trusted. Taking her hand, the young King walked her closer. He turned to her.

  “I am going to speak to them about the journey ahead.” She nodded, knowing that she was not going to understand what he was going to say for a while. Meladrom spoke first.

  “Galtec I have established my link with the King. Once he has awakened your riders he will be able to send for us.” Galtec nodded to his sibling before turning to Kainan.

  “My King, be sure to keep your senses on high alert at all times. You do not yet remember how devious and cunning Gemini can be. Expect him to have his creatures wandering the forest being his eyes and ears. Especially be wary of his demon creatures, they may come in any form.” Kainan translated to Arweyn.

  “If you can delay calling us until our riders are awake, we will have more of a chance for a surprise attack. However, you must not put your lives at risk. It will take you three days to reach the location of the Elwins. We can be there in half a day should it be necessary but it will more than likely alert Gemini to our presence.” Kainan nodded and then once again translated to his wife. Despite herself, she jumped in fright, as all the dragons suddenly roared together.

  “For Malgar and good luck” Kainan whispered, conveying their words. Re-mounting Meladrom, the party took off.

  Kainan held Arweyn tight, who in turn gripped onto Meladrom’s neck scales with white knuckles. This time she had plaited her hair to one side to avoid it whipping in her husband’s face. Meladrom swooped down low, skimming along the river. It was all so incredibly beautiful, Arweyn thought, as they flew past deer drinking at the water’s edge. Startled by the shadow of the huge dragon they fled into the cover of the trees. The forest stretched for hundreds and hundreds of miles. Valleys dipped and rose with rolling hills, spring blossoms intertwined with the darkness of the evergreens it was truly glorious. She felt Kainan squeeze her waist and she pulled her head back slightly allowing him to nuzzle his cheek next to hers.