by G L Roberts
“Is this Druid the Dragon Daughter of legend?” one voice asked.
Bryn drew her sword from the scabbard. She held it aloft and let the light catch the jewels on the hilt. She called to them in their own language.
“I am the Jewel of legend joined now with the High Dragon. We wish to rest the night in this high place.”
“Welcome Jewel,” the dragons replied.
“Others follow us,” Meydra said. “Do them no harm. They are the Jewel’s Council.”
“We are honored. Rest here and we will lend you our eyes and ears.”
“Have you seen any others this day?” Meydra asked.
“The men with bows that sit now in the trees,” one dragon replied. “They traveled from the south lands.”
“Hmm,” Bryn said.
Another dragon spoke. “They are not painted.”
“Did you see any markings on their skins?” Meydra asked.
“Why would we do so?” a separate voice remarked. “We have little to do with them.”
It was the same voice Bryn had heard in her mind on the hill back in Skerrabrae. The detractor, the doubter. “Who speaks?”
“I do.” Among the four dragons, a young Twayling started toward Bryn and Meydra.
Immediately, Meydra sent her tail out in front of her barring the Twayling from coming any closer. “Retreat,” Meydra commanded.
The Twayling backed away and bowed his head. “I meant no harm.”
“Clear your mind and your heart, Mediter,” Meydra said.
Bryn heard the name echo in her mind. The dragon was familiar, but from where? Then it became clear. She slid off Meydra’s neck and stood in front of Meydra. Meydra moved her tail back to allow Bryn to look at the young dragon, but kept her body stiff. Bryn placed her sword back into the scabbard and stared long at the dragon.
“Your mother, Meylarn, gave her life freely.”
“This I understand,” Mediter replied.
“What troubles you?”
“You. She gave her life for a human.”
“That is the dragon’s code,” Meydra bellowed. The other three dragons cowered at the sound of Meydra’s cry. “If you cannot abide that code, you know what is to be done.”
Mediter lifted his chin to Meydra. “Yes, I know what is to be done. It is why I am here.”
Bryn frowned. “I will not allow this dragon to die. Meydra, return to the others and tell them all is well here and they may approach.”
Meydra snorted. Bryn watched her dragon as she lifted up and away, high enough that the other dragons would believe her to be gone.
Stay close, Bryn said to Meydra.
Yes, My Lady.
As Bryn wished, Meydra remained where she could drop like a stone from the sky. She also would send word to IronHeart that the others may approach. Then she would wait.
Bryn approached Mediter. “Will you allow me to touch you?”
“I have no reason to refuse.”
Bryn laid her hand on Mediter’s arm. She moved her hand over his scales and up to his neck. She stood where he could lower his head…and waited. Mediter hesitated. After a moment, he lowered his head for Bryn to approach. Bryn placed a hand on each cheek and brought the jewel to rest between Mediter’s eyes. She breathed deeply and the jewel began to glow. She brought her breath to match Mediter’s and used it to further calm the young dragon. She could feel his pain and anguish over the loss of his mother.
“It was her destiny,” Bryn whispered.
“She was born for this joining,” Bryn heard Meydra say to Mediter. “It is what she most wanted.”
Mediter squirmed to release his head, but Bryn held it in her grasp. He swished his tail and pounded the ground behind him.
Meydra started to drop back down to silence Mediter’s tail but was stopped by Bryn’s words.
“Release the anger.”
Mediter banged his tail against the ground, causing the dirt to rise and the ground to shake.
“Again.” Bryn held onto the dragon’s face with the jewel pressed firmly against his scales.
Mediter released a heavy blow to the earth. The ground shook, and the birds in the trees took flight. From deep within Mediter’s heart a note rose to the surface.
Bryn felt the cry coming from Mediter’s heart, and she freed him from her grip. He threw his head back and released the wail high into the sky. It overwhelmed Bryn with sadness and loss. She fell to her knees, covering her heart with her hands. Her arm throbbed, her head ached and her heart felt as if it would burst with the pain. It was too much for her to bear, and the jewel pulsed and glowed. Light shot out from the jewel and filled the air with bright embers. Through the embers Bryn saw Meydra drop to the ground and push Mediter aside with one stroke of her tail. Meydra sent Mediter tumbling on the ground out of Bryn’s reach. His mouth bled from the blow. Bryn felt Meydra shield her with her wings and pull her close to her breast. Shards of light continued to spark from the jewel, but they soon tapered off. Bryn felt sure her heart would break from the pain of Mediter’s anger. She glanced once at the young dragon as he bowed his head and remained unmoving, alone and away from the other dragons.
At the same time that the light shot up into the air, IronHeart increased his pace and drove his wings hard through the air. The other dragons followed him and the riders lowered their bodies against the dragons and held on tightly. Only in distress did a dragon risk the life of their rider with this type of flight.
As they approached, IronHeart saw the other dragons, heads bowed low, standing far back from the center scene. There he saw the young Twayling, head also bowed with blood dripping from his mouth. IronHeart called to Malcolm, “Arm yourself.” Malcolm drew his sword and the rest of the company followed his lead.
FireSong joined IronHeart. The two fire-breathers set down on either side of Mediter, and the men slid quickly off their necks, swords drawn. Arryn ran to Meydra, who slammed her tail hard against the ground stopping any approach.
“Touch me not!” Meydra bellowed.
Caraid and An Yun dropped down behind the unknown dragons. Thalynder and Kenna took up defensive postures next to their dragons. From above, NightWatcher and Leus circled the Peak Stone and alighted on the highest peak to watch the sky. No one as yet understood the nature of the distress call IronHeart had heard rising up from Meydra.
What seemed like hours was only minutes, and soon the light pulsing from under Meydra’s wings subsided and the air grew still. Meydra opened her wings. There Bryn lay on the ground, unconscious but alive. Arryn sheathed his sword and stepped closer, still not breaching the circle of protection that was the span of Meydra’s wings.
“You may approach her now,” Meydra called. She backed away and walked over to where IronHeart and FireSong stood with Mediter. The two fire-breathers snorted little puffs of gray smoke, which brought a smile to Meydra. She addressed IronHeart first. “Thank you. I am glad you are so keenly aware of my needs.” IronHeart bowed his head slightly and moved his tail to touch Meydra’s tail. She turned to FireSong. “You are learning, young fire-breather.” FireSong bowed his head, swishing his tail back and forth in a gesture of thanks.
Meydra spoke to Mediter. “Your mind is clear now. Your heart has been healed.”
Mediter, who had not raised his head, spoke quietly. “I did not know the depth of my pain until she revealed it to me. Have I caused the daughter harm?”
“Only for the moment. She will heal quickly now. All she needs is rest. You have no companion to tend to your wound. Would you allow another to see to your needs?”
“I would accept another willingly.”
Meydra pushed her forehead against the bowed head of Mediter causing him to look up. “Worry not, young Twayling. You will not die today.”
Thalynder could not see what was happening inside the circle and remained with An Yun until Meydra called to her. She worried that something had happened to Bryn, but she fought off the desire to rush to her side. It would not a
lways be possible to do so. The sooner she could trust that Meydra would take care of Bryn, the better. She needed to be strong, not only for herself, but also for Bryn. How else could her dear love rule and still remain confident that her council was of a clear head and heart? Thalynder had the advantage of understanding what a leader needed of her followers. It was something she was raised to understand all too well. She would expect nothing less if the roles were reversed. She sheathed her sword when Meydra called her name and walked quickly over to where Arryn knelt before Bryn.
“What has happened?” Thalynder demanded of Meydra. She did not hesitate to use her standing as a princess, nor her place as Bryn’s love, to get immediate answers.
“Lady Athebryn has diffused a delicate situation,” Meydra replied. “She is unconscious, but unharmed.”
Thalynder’s ire rose even more. “How can you say she is unharmed when she lies unconscious? What was the nature of the situation?”
“The young Twayling chose to die because he was unable to defer to humans. Lady Athebryn sought to console the dragon and not allow him to perish. In doing so, she revealed his pain to him and removed the source of his distress.”
“At great risk to herself,” Arryn said. “The Twayling meant to challenge Bryn. Could you not stop her?”
“Why would I do so?” Meydra asked. “Is she not the Jewel? Is she not the one who unites and leads? Who am I to stay her hand?”
Thalynder lifted Bryn’s head on her lap.
Arryn stepped very close to Meydra, his anger clearly visible. “You, High Dragon, are companion to the Lady Athebryn. Your own oath, your own code of conduct calls for you to protect her from harm.”
Meydra lowered her shoulders and relaxed. She had been in her own heightened sense of awareness, and her body had stiffened in preparation for any assault on Bryn. She looked at Bryn, asleep and at peace. She turned her attention to Arryn.
“I did just that,” she said. “When the moment of greatest risk approached, I severed the connection between Lady Athebryn and the Twayling. I kept her from harm, which you would have caused if you had touched either of us in your haste. There is much we both must learn about the Jewel. I am as new to this as are you.” She bowed her head before Arryn.
He reached out and stroked Meydra’s cheek. “What now do we do with the youngster?”
“Lady Athebryn has asked him to join us. He will cause us no further trouble.”
“Good. Let us see to his wound and ready our camp for the night. Ask the other dragons to take up their positions while we move to the lake.”
“As you wish.” Meydra shot another glance at Mediter. “You,” she called in her own language, “will remain with the fire-breathers. Learn from them.” She rose to the air and moved to the lake where she took up her position nearest to the company. The first of many new gifts had put Bryn to the test. Each one in turn would become a dangerous lesson to be learned by both she and her companion. Bryn had accepted the challenge not to fight the dragon, but to take the pain from his heart and remove the dagger from his mind. It took all of Bryn’s strength to reach inside and best the demon. She would grow stronger from the confrontation. But to what end? Meydra mused.
“It is as we discussed back in Skerrabrae,” Malcolm said. The company had made a fire and gathered around the crackling bits of peat and wood. While waiting for Bryn to wake from her healing sleep, they had supped and were now considering the event as Meydra described it. “Lady Athebryn is too valuable to head out alone. I do not care if she is the only one who can speak to the dragons. She is not expendable.”
“I agree,” Kenna said. “We must devise a plan whereby one of us is with the Lady at all times.”
“And how do we do that?” Leus asked. “Lady Athebryn is the only one who can speak with the dragons. She is the only one who not only speaks their language, but feels their pain and their pleasure. Do we insist she restrain that gift by accepting one of us to shadow her and possibly stand between her and the dragons? To do so could usurp her authority with them and cause them to doubt us.”
Thalynder glanced up at where Meydra sat on the high peak. “That is where Meydra must play a part. She is the High Dragon. She should be the first to intercede with the other dragons, thus providing Bryn a sphere of safety. It is their code, after all, to not harm humans. I, for one, do not think they would do so willingly.”
“Even a dragon who does not know you, Princess? There are many that now follow us that are not known to us or us to them,” Malcolm said. “I felt the way IronHeart’s body stiffened when he heard Meydra’s call. He tensed and poised to take the offensive. What if it were a rogue dragon who sought the offensive?”
“So you are agreeing with Kenna,” Arryn said. “You too believe there must be a human guard with Bryn to not only keep her from harm by fellow humans, but to protect her from a rogue dragon?”
“Why not? In battle, would you not put yourself between your king on a horse and an enemy on a horse?”
“A horse is hardly a dragon,” Thalynder said.
Arryn addressed Thalynder. “No, but I see what Malcolm is trying to make clear. The alternative is to not allow the king to engage in the battle. Horse or dragon, the king should remain hidden and safe.”
Malcolm nodded. “That is the alternative we must discuss with Lady Athebryn. I know her mind is well-suited for strategy. She can see the nuances of the enemy better than most captains with years of battle experience.”
“She can also wield a sword with deadly results,” Thalynder said. “She can be very fierce.”
Kenna kicked a small rock toward the fire. “That is all fine and good. Her life though is worth more than ours combined. The Elf-Sisters know this as well. We must persuade Bryn to stay out of reach.”
With her eyes still closed, Bryn listened to her company debating her future with a touch of regret. She would have to disappoint them and cause them much concern. Nevertheless, she needed to lead from where the clanns and armies could see her and not from the shadows. It was the only way she could be sure the clanns stayed united throughout the many years that it would take to free their country from the Norsemen. She had read it in Mediter’s thoughts. He had watched these Norsemen before, and it gave him firsthand knowledge of their reign of terror. She saw it all in his thoughts, and it frightened her. It also hardened her resolve.
She stretched and stood up to join the others. As she walked toward the fire, she absentmindedly rubbed at her arm. She noticed that the old pain from the sting of the Norseman’s blade ached more when her body went through a change with the jewel. Somehow, the two were tied together.
“The jewel has remained out of reach for millennia,” Bryn said as she approached the fire. “Surely there is a way to protect it and allow me to lead from inside the ranks.”
Thalynder stood and took Bryn’s hand. She scanned her face and frowned. “Are you injured?”
“No, My Princess,” Bryn replied. “It is only the old wound that wakens now and then to remind me of my desire to rid Alban of the Norsemen.”
“Come.” Thalynder reached for her hand. “I have your supper. You must eat while we continue to debate about you behind your back.”
As Bryn took Thalynder’s hand, she smiled at Thalynder’s attempt to lighten the mood. They were all concerned about the near future. They would be facing an enemy they did not know much about except for the path of death and destruction that enemy left behind. What worried her most was the faith they put in her to provide the missing information.
“I would prefer you debate with me and not behind me.” Bryn sat down on the ground in front of the fire and accepted the food Thalynder offered her. The others remained silent. “Oh, surely you can speak to me. What happened to your tongue, Prince Malcolm?”
“It is guarded in your presence, My Lady.”
“Loose your thoughts and your tongue will follow. I cannot have my friends withholding their thoughts from me just because I glow in the dark.
”
Small chuckles rippled throughout the company.
Bryn gestured toward Arryn. “Arryn, before we saw the Stones, you were ready to fight with me, side by side. Why would you now wish to do otherwise?”
“I do not wish it. I feel obligated to protect you. Without the obligation, I would not hesitate to stand back to back with you and fight the enemy to the death.”
“Who laid this burden of obligation on your shoulders?”
“I feel it too, My Lady,” Kenna said. “You are the legend become truth. I feel obligated to the clanns to ensure the truth is not lost.”
“I too feel the obligation to the clanns,” Arryn agreed.
“And I to the elves,” Leus added.
Bryn shook her head lightly and smiled. “You carry too heavy a burden, my friends. The clanns have yet to agree to unite under our banner. What if we are the only ones who choose this path? What if we are the only ones who stand to fight the Norsemen? Would you feel this obligation?”
“Not nearly as strong,” Kenna replied. “I suppose my aim is to protect you for the clanns so they may have the opportunity to unite under your banner.”
Arryn slapped his hand on his thigh. He grinned at Bryn “You do have a way of shedding light, Lady Bryn. If it were just us on this path, I would want you at my side with your sword drawn. The clanns will know what was done at the loch. They will hear the stories, and they will understand that you are a fighter. You are not some frail maiden with a dream, but a Druid princess with the soul of a warrior. They will unite under your banner because they want to fight with you, not for you.”
Bryn could see the others thinking over Arryn’s words. He was right. The clanns would not fight for some girl hiding in a cave with a dragon, sketching out a plan to send others to their deaths to defeat the foreigners. But they would fight with a leader they could trust. One who would not back down and leave them alone to wither at the edge of reason.
“It is our banner, Arryn of the Epidii,” Thalynder said. “We band together under this banner to fight alongside Lady Athebryn.”