by G L Roberts
“I did not know that there were dragon rules. Your species is far more complicated than I realized.”
Meydra snorted. “We are not complicated. We are simpler.”
Bryn thought about it for a moment. She touched the jewel at Meydra’s forehead. “Simple and truthful, trustworthy and noble. Admirable qualities.”
“Your strong suits as well,” Meydra said. “I will set up a perimeter for your defense, though there is nothing out there tonight. We will eat and keep watch.”
“Thank you my friends. I go now to hear the questions.”
Bryn approached the fire and heard the whispered voices of the others as they debated amongst themselves. She cleared her throat and walked into their circle. “The dragons will take turns hunting. After they have eaten, they will set up a perimeter for our comfort. There is no threat this night.”
“That is good to hear,” Arryn said. “I for one could use a long sleep. It has been an eventful day.”
“It has, Dragon Rider.” Bryn sat down next to Thalynder.
Arryn laughed. “That is one thing I have not yet adjusted to.”
“You’ll get used to it,” Malcolm said. “Once you accept that you do not have to shout to get their attention. I used to scream Coeur de Fer’s name all the time until he told me he has excellent hearing.”
“Wait until you ride one for the first time,” Kenna chimed in.
Arryn frowned. “I had not considered being on the back of one. I don’t know that I can do that.”
The company laughed, and the charged air around them dissipated. Thalynder reached for Bryn’s hand.
Bryn moved closer and put her arm around Thalynder’s waist. She kissed Lynder on the cheek. She glanced over at Neulta. “You have been very quiet, Neulta. Are you unsure of your place in this company?”
Neulta fidgeted, which for an elf is very uncharacteristic. She glanced at her brother. Though her voice was no louder than a whisper, she spoke to the company, “There is a need to return to our home and report what we know. Yet, we are excited to be here. We find ourselves torn between remaining with you and the company—becoming a part of a great adventure—and remembering we are elves and of a different race than the rest of you.”
Bryn smiled and shook her head slightly. “You are of a different race, yes. But you are of the same earth. Do you eat when hungry?”
“Yes,” Leus said.
“Do you sleep when tired?”
“Yes,” Neulta replied. “I understand what you are saying. We are not so different than humankind. Our similarities attract my brother and me to this company. However, we were charged with witnessing a transformation. Now that this transformation has taken place, we should be returning to our kin.”
Bryn leaned a little forward and spoke softly to Neulta. “I am, as you now know, an elf-sister. My ancestors were elves or half-elves. Does that not make us kin?”
Neulta looked from Bryn to Leus. “We know you are a cousin, and thereby, kin.”
“Stay with us for a while longer, Neulta. We have yet to reach Skerrabrae. Once there you may find that your need to return to your kin is not so great.”
“What do you expect to find at Skerrabrae?” Arryn asked.
“Back in the Realm That Touches Two Seas, the Arch Druid told me I would find answers at the Stones and questions at Skerrabrae. He believed I should know the answers first, which is why we went first to the Stones. What lies at Skerrabrae is unknown to me, but I think it will be the question you already carry in your heart, Arryn of the Epidii.”
Arryn smiled at Bryn. “What question is that?”
“You are wondering, as is Kenna, Malcolm, the elves and my Lynder, just how do we unite the clanns.”
“Yes, that is one question,” Malcolm said. “How can the clanns be united when they have been separated and isolated for so many years?”
“For millennia,” Bryn corrected. “So long ago that few remember what it was like under one banner.”
“But I thought Queen Athyl united them and that her daughters lead now in her stead,” Thalynder said. “That doesn’t sound like millennia.”
Bryn turned to her. “True. Perhaps it is the term daughters which confuses you. Daughter refers to any woman of the bloodline of Athyl. I am a daughter of Athyl, as is Kenna, as are my mother and Kenna’s mother. Our mothers are elf sisters. Blood relatives with lines that trace back to Athyl who herself was the daughter of elves. Some may be many branches out from the trunk of the tree, but they are daughters all the same. Over the years they became known as the Elf-Sisters.”
Malcolm looked thoughtful. “Oh, the bloodline is the qualifier. Not necessarily a claim to a royal lineage, but a direct link by blood.”
“Yes. Some of our ancestors renounced any royal ties and left to form their own clanns. Such is the case of Arryn’s clann. Arryn also carries the blood of Athyl. So long as there was a bloodline back to Athyl, the prospect of uniting the clanns remained.”
“Are you now that queen?” Malcolm asked.
“I am joined with the dragons. From this moment forward, all will be as new to me as it is to you. A queen may not be what is intended as my role. Skerrabrae will, I hope, reveal what lies ahead for this company. Myself included.”
“You especially,” Leus said. “The joining cannot be a random thing. There must be a reason for the event to have happened now and to you.”
“Of that we can be certain,” Arryn said. “Nothing happens without a purpose.”
“Does the jewel burn?” Kenna asked.
Bryn was sure Kenna’s question served to redirect the company to the smaller questions riding on their tongues. “It warms me, though I must caution the rest of you. The jewel will burn you if you touch it. If you remember the story of the dragons’ origins, you will understand that the jewel is pure stardust. The fire of a star lies within the jewel. In time, it will cool enough to be touched, but for now, exercise caution. When the time is right, I will welcome your touch.”
“Can you hear all the dragons?” Arryn asked.
“I can. They all speak to my heart. I can hear their words when they direct them at me. However, I cannot eavesdrop.”
The company laughed. Bryn was making it easy for them to become less intimidated by her and the idea that she was now a Dragon Daughter. And though none called her such, she felt it was on their minds.
“Why do you take the trouble to ask us to speak with our dragons if you can save the step and speak directly with them?” Leus asked.
Bryn squeezed Thalynder’s waist. “I know some of you can sense things in your dragon. Some dragon riders can even hear simple words placed in their minds by their dragons. It is why the bond must be initiated by the dragon. They must be able to meet your mind with theirs. Or your heart. My ability is just more finely tuned. I can hear their words, feel their emotions, sense their character. However, these dragons are bonded to you dragon riders. I would never consider supplanting you. I ask you to keep your bond strong and to do that you must continue as their companion, speaking and tending to your own dragons.”
“Why are there not more dragon tears among the riders?” Kenna asked.
Thalynder turned her head to look at Bryn. Bryn could read the same question in her eyes.
Dragons must endure intense emotional stress and much pain to produce tears. Many die soon after. Bryn took a deep breath and composed her thoughts. “There is great magic in the tears of a dragon and considerable sadness. Many dragons die after shedding tears. Many are weakened by the act. Most must endure excruciating pain, and that is why very few mortals have ever seen or been exposed to a dragon’s tear. Most dragons hide their tears deep in the earth or carry them to drop in a deep lake or sea. Dragon tears are rare, and for that they may be deemed valuable. It would be wrong to covet dragon tears.”
“Can a dragon be forced to shed a tear?” Malcolm asked.
Bryn was disturbed by the question. From Arryn’s frown, he appeared just as u
nsettled. For as a dragon rider himself, Malcolm was longer bonded than Arryn. It was obvious the question also disturbed the dragons. Soft moans of pain filled her ears. “Yes, Malcolm. Yes, they can be forced. But to do so would mean the death of the dragon. Why would you ask that?”
“Knowing the limitations to your weapons is valuable in battle.” Malcolm’s voice contained no regret. “I would think that as a leader you would want to know your army’s limitations.”
Bryn crossed her arms over her chest. “I would. Nevertheless, the dragons will not be a weapon in my army. They took an oath long before man stood upright and walked upon the earth to do no harm to humankind. To ask them to be our armor or our weapon would be to ask them to break an oath older than time.” Bryn heard the voices of the dragons echoing her words. She hesitated when she heard a dissenting voice among the dragons. She listened for a moment at the other dragons debating with their kin. But with all the voices speaking at once, she could not tell whose voice it was that caused her concern.
“They would be an asset,” Malcolm continued. “Our army would be unstoppable.”
“And we would be as the raiding hoards, pushing our weight around, becoming everything we abhor in our enemy,” Arryn said. “That is not the clann way.”
Malcolm pressed on. “It may become useful. It is something we should consider if we truly mean to rid Alban of this threat.”
Bryn listened as the men debated. She understood why Malcolm felt this way. She also understood from where Arryn spoke and agreed that using dragons as weapons was not the clann way. It never was. Dragons had always been companions. Yet again, she could see the logic behind Malcolm’s thinking. It was something she would discuss at length with Meydra. In her heart, she did not want to ask this of the dragons. In her head, she realized that with the dragons, the tide could be turned and her homeland could be bathed in a peace that may well linger for generations.
The path had many turns and twists. For the moment, the only option for her was to get the company to Skerrabrae. There was much work to be done to unite the clanns under one banner. A murmuring rose from the men to discuss the issue further. She turned her attention to the rest of the company.
“We need sleep. The last leg of our journey is before us. By this time tomorrow, we will find other issues to debate. For myself, my concern lies first with uniting the clanns and the kingdoms to fight as one. The dragons will play a role in our efforts, of that much I am certain. Take your thoughts and rest for the night. We will leave for Skerrabrae after a quick breakfast.” She rose and pulled Thalynder up with her. “Thank you, all of you, for remaining in the company and choosing to follow me. I do not know what path our feet will tread, but it will be to the benefit of all. Goodnight friends.”
Bryn took Thalynder’s hand, and they walked out toward the dragons who sat with their backs to the company, their eyes and ears ever mindful of the movements in the night.
Though the midnight sun was just below the horizon and the sky glowed with a soft lavender, the night was as still as if it were the blackest of winter nights. Thalynder held tightly to Bryn’s hand as they walked out to the dragons. The others followed, as it was custom to bid your dragon goodnight, though the rest of the company hung back from the two women.
“Will we sleep together, my Bryn?” Thalynder asked quietly.
“We will, my Lynder.”
“Can you hold me close with that crown on your brow?”
“I can, and I will. What is troubling you?” Bryn stopped before reaching Meydra and An Yun.
“It is Meydra and An Yun. I do not know how to start.”
“Start?”
“To trust An Yun. I do not wish to hurt her feelings, but I was so young when Meydra became my companion. I cannot remember how I began to trust her.”
“As a child you trusted everything.” Bryn reached for Thalynder’s other hand. “Close your eyes.” Thalynder complied. “Now, see An Yun. She chose you, Thalynder. She found your heart and wished to be with you. That is a great gift. Trust An Yun as you trust Meydra. She will not fail you, and you may even find that since she chose you above all others, your bond with her will strengthen far beyond what you had with Meydra.”
“If that is true, then will not Meydra be jealous?”
Bryn smiled. “No, my love. Meydra can never be jealous of a bond. She is a dragon and does not think as we do.”
I can love, Meydra said to Bryn’s heart. I have loved you all your life.
As I have loved you, Meydra. We want to ease this passing for Lynder.
Worry not, Dragon Daughter, An Yun said. The princess will soon feel the difference, and she will rejoice.
“Come, let us say goodnight to our girls. Tonight we will sleep in each other’s arms and dream sweet dreams.”
Chapter Two
Bryn did not sleep. Her mind raced with the events of the day, and she could not stop the images that lingered. Images of other dragons and other riders. Images of Athyl. Images that no other living human had seen. In her mind, she saw the lives of the dragons from their perspective, and they amazed her with each new image. The most frightening, and by far the most profound, was the image of what happened to the dragons after they gave up their lives to provide Bryn with her sword and her crown. Their deaths were more ethereal than words could describe. It was as if she floated high above the ground and witnessed the birth of a star. She sighed and felt Lynder move next to her.
“You do not sleep,” Lynder said.
“I am rested.”
“Are you in pain?”
“My arm troubles me some, but it is a little thing.”
“Can we share a walk?” Lynder asked.
“We do have some time before the others should wake. Let us stretch our legs.”
Bryn stood and held out her hand to Thalynder. Silently, they walked away from the rest of the sleeping company and out toward the flatter moors. Bryn searched the air with her heightened senses and determined the two of them were safe for the moment. They stopped at the edge of a long stretch of damp peat. Bryn inhaled deeply.
“You always did like the smell of damp earth.” Thalynder pulled on Bryn’s hand until they stood close together. She kept her voice soft and quiet.
“It is a friendly smell to me.”
“A fulfilled earth. That is a Druid idea.”
“It is one of them.”
“Bryn, you fulfill all my heart’s desire.” She touched Bryn’s cheek with her fingers. “You set my body to quake at the thought of your touch. You fill my heart with song, and I am content.”
Bryn smiled. “You are all that to me.”
“Yet, you have changed and the idea frightens me. You are Athebryn now, and I know what that crown means. You have responsibilities that will stay your hand one moment and loose it the next. You were born to this as I was born to my station. How do we keep from going mad? How do we remain together when our paths may lead us otherwise?” Thalynder’s eyes filled with tears. “I do not want to lose you, my Bryn.”
“You are correct.” Bryn clasped Thalynder’s hands and kissed each palm. “We have responsibilities that may cause us to be separated, yes, but only for brief moments in time. Lynder, I will always be your Bryn. I will always love you. If we do not forget that love, we will find a way to be together more often than not. And think of this. We will be a formidable team, you and I. We know each other’s strengths. We know how to communicate without words. We trust each other. There is nothing stronger than what we already have between us.”
“You will be my Bryn, and I your Lynder. Will you grant me one favor now, my Bryn?”
“If it is within my power, yes. Always yes, Lynder.”
Thalynder moved her hands to the laces at the top of Bryn’s bodice. “Make love with me before the others wake.”
Bryn placed her hands on Thalynder’s shoulders and gently pushed her to the ground.
Bryn and Thalynder approached the fire as Arryn was rejoining the cam
p. Across his lap lay three ptarmigans, their plumage already turning white. He slid off his mount and brought the birds to the fire.
“We should eat these quickly.” He was breathless and agitated.
“What have you seen?” Bryn asked.
“A plume of smoke rising in the west.” He handed the birds to Kenna who carried them to the fire for preparation. “A small plume. Perhaps another campfire.”
“There has been no warning from the dragons,” Bryn said. “I think there is someone waiting for us at Skerrabrae.”
“Friend of foe?”
“Not foe or we would have been alerted to their presence by the dragons.” Bryn did not want to let the company know just yet who waited for them. “It is someone we know but do not expect. A friend maybe, though these days I think more an acquaintance rather than a friend.”
Malcolm joined them as Bryn was speaking. “Who knows our plans?”
“King Thamen and Bryn’s parents were the first to know,” Arryn replied. “Now, your kingdom, Kenna’s clann, my clann, the Picts. Shall I go on?”
Malcolm took a step toward Arryn. “If you believe that my kingdom would risk moving so far from their base, you do not know as much about warfare as you think you do, Captain of the King’s Army.”
Bryn had been patient with the two men long enough. The constant chest beating and foot stamping was getting out of hand.
“Enough. While the others prepare to eat and leave camp, I will speak with the two of you now.” She walked away from the group and out toward the dragons who had arrived and settled in the open land to the west of the camp. Her hand gripped the hilt of her sword as she walked without looking back to see if the men followed. She spoke to Meydra.