Jewel of Fire

by G L Roberts

  Shocked by being grabbed from behind, Thalynder saw Teela swing her bow around and take aim at Thalynder’s captor. Relief washed over Thalynder until she saw three other men jump out of the brush with their axes raised.

  “Teela!” But it was too late. One of the men tossed his ax through the air. It made a sickening thud as it struck Teela in the back. She dropped to the ground, her face a mask of shocked surprise.

  “No!” Thalynder shouted. She struggled to free herself, but her captor held her tighter. Above her, she heard a cry. She watched as Meriel swept in and grabbed one of the men with her talons. She soared high into the sky and dropped the man.

  Hansa stared, fascinated by the creature and its strength. She held onto the royal even tighter. She wrapped her hand in the royal’s braid and yanked her very close, speaking into Thalynder’s ear. “Call off the beast and you will live.”

  “I cannot stop the beast. It is not mine to command.”

  “So be it. Tell the others to set down their bows or your life will be forfeit.”

  Thalynder looked down at Teela. She choked back her tears as her friend from Erui lay lifeless on the ground. “Lower your bows,” she called to the archers. She spoke to the woman behind her. “You are outnumbered.”

  “That may be,” the woman replied. “But you are my captive, and I believe the others will do as I say.” The woman brought her knife under Thalynder’s throat. “We are going for a walk. Tell them to start down toward the village.”

  Meriel’s thoughts caught Bryn off guard.

  “Meriel, no,” Bryn called out. Meriel was about to dive for the Norseman. Bryn called again to Meriel, but it was too late. Meriel rose to the sky, and Bryn held Meydra back. Meriel released the man, and he plummeted back to earth. Bryn realized Thalynder was in danger and Meriel had intervened. Her heart beat fast in her chest, and she felt the anger swelling within her. The jewel at her forehead pulsed red and the sky turned to the color of blood.

  “Take me down!” Bryn called to Meydra. “I must find Thalynder.”

  “You cannot,” Meydra replied.

  “You cannot stop me.”

  “I must.” Meydra flew higher.

  Bryn took a deep breath and willed herself to calm her heart. She felt Meydra’s own heart beating beneath her, and their heartbeats slowed to match each other.

  “Meriel has let herself be seen,” Meydra said. “We cannot risk the others.”

  “I must find Meriel and ride her now. I must find a way to make this work.”

  Meydra flew to the outcropping where An Yun sat and watched Thalynder from afar. Meriel returned to the rocks and bowed her head when Meydra appeared.

  King Thamen was looking over the dead. Seventeen of the Norsemen lay at his feet. Three were bound and standing near the town’s well, held there by the King’s Own Guard. He heard footsteps coming from the forest and drew his sword. The remainder of the Guard scattered and drew swords. They waited until they could see who was coming in from the trees. The archers of King Thamen’s army, joined by archers of the Bridei, moved forward. They stopped in front of King Thamen and knelt. The king began to speak but stopped when an archer approached carrying a body. Teela. Her bow was gone, as was her sword. The man walked slowly and stopped just at the forest edge. Another man approached from behind the archer, an ax lightly touching his back. King Thamen drew his sword and waited. The man pushed the archer forward.

  A second man walked forward followed closely by Princess Thalynder. Her hands were tied in front of her, and they had removed her sword from the scabbard. King Thamen stood still as stone. Behind the princess walked a woman. She held a knife at the side of Thalynder’s neck. Although his daughter appeared unhurt, he could see the anguish on her features.

  Where are the dragons? King Thamen wondered. Why did they allow this to happen?

  The woman stopped where the king could see her clearly. “Ask the men to step behind the King,” she told Thalynder.

  “Your Highness, my captor asks that your Guard move to stand at your back.” Thalynder did not want to give away her position to the woman. So far, she was just another royal and not the king’s daughter and heir to the realm.

  King Thamen nodded and his men rose and moved to stand behind him.

  “Tell the king to step toward us. Close enough to speak terms.”

  Terms? Thalynder thought. Am I to be traded? For what?

  “Your Highness, would you please step closer where we can talk?”

  The king walked toward his daughter, keeping his eyes on the tall blond woman. He stopped a short distance away.

  “I will let this one go but you will give me something in return,” the blonde said.

  “What could we have that you would find more profitable than that you already possess? What would you trade for my daughter?”

  “I will have the beast.” She touched the knife to Thalynder’s skin and drew a small line. After a moment the line began to bleed.

  “I have failed the little one,” An Yun said.

  “Where is Thalynder?” Bryn asked.

  “She is before her father in the village,” Meriel replied.

  “What of the others?”

  “The Erui is dead,” Meriel said. “I could not stop the ax.”

  “I will ride you now,” Bryn told her. “We will go to the village and see if we can mend this mistake.”

  “It was no mistake.” Mediter, riding high above them, swooped down beside Meriel. “It was time to show our strength.”

  “You may have cost the lives of those you were born to protect!” Meydra bellowed.

  Mediter snorted and spread his wings. He was twice the size of Meydra. “I would have been High Dragon if my mother had not died so soon. I would have changed this relationship.”

  Bryn listened to the two dragons. In her heart, she heard cries from the other dragons. They were pleading with Meydra and Mediter to stop and listen to the words of the Dragon Daughter. Bryn put her hands over her ears. The sounds of all those voices in her head and her heart were loud and full of sorrow.

  “They are moving,” An Yun called. She rose from the rocks and started flying east.

  Bryn opened her eyes and glared at Mediter. Her eyes were cold and the jewel at her brow was black. “You dare confront the High Dragon.” Her voice was deep and menacing. “Meylarn kept her word. The promise she made to her father, to step in for Meydra while Meydra watched over the Jewel, was kept. You did not care to understand why. Such arrogance. You would not have been permitted to become High Dragon. Do you not hear the words of the other dragons you deem beneath you?” Bryn drew Calibairn from its scabbard and raised both arms above her head and shouted, her voice like thunder in a cloudless sky.

  “Mediter! My words are the words of all the dragons who follow Meydra and the Jewel. Hear me. Leave Alban, and do not return until you have lost all the hate that you carry in your heart. Forthwith, you are banished!”

  Mediter started to speak. Meydra took a step toward him and lifted her head. She grew taller and taller until she filled the sky and darkened the earth beneath her. “Go!”

  Mediter lifted up. He turned west and began to fly away. Each dragon he approached turned their head and did not look at him. He was no longer one of their own.

  Bryn shoved Calibairn into the scabbard and jumped on Meriel’s back. “Take me to the boats.”

  Meriel lifted into the air and once high enough and away from the others, Bryn sobbed into Meriel’s scales. Her body shook and the tears fell in torrents. The tears fell upon Meriel’s scales and turned into a field of clear jewels. Diamonds glinted in the rising sun. Bryn’s heart broke over what she had to do to Mediter.

  You had no choice, Meydra’s heart told her.

  Yes, I did.

  Meriel slowed as they approached the boats at the sea’s edge. She moved in a wide circle so that Bryn could search for Thalynder. Arryn’s men had not arrived and the Norsemen were preparing to leave. Bryn saw Heardred
speaking with someone and when Meriel turned again, Bryn saw that Thalynder was there, bound and gagged.

  “The armies are still hours out,” Bryn said to Meriel.

  “They will trade.”

  “Trade? Yes, I could offer myself as trade.”

  “No. You cannot go with them. I can.”

  Bryn searched Meriel’s heart. She was right. The Norsemen would trade for a dragon.

  “Set us down but slowly enough to not startle them.”

  Meriel began a slow spiral down to the beach. As she got close enough for the others to see, the blond woman shouted to Heardred.

  “The beast returns for its master.”

  Certain this regal woman was Hansa, daughter of Heardred, Bryn stayed low. “Set down so that the sun is in their eyes. I want to remain hidden until the last moment.”

  Meriel glided to a spot on the sand between the sea and the Norsemen.

  Hansa pointed at the beast and spoke to Heardred. Bryn was sure Hansa believed she was right; the beast would return to reclaim its master. Meriel’s wings remained outstretched and for the moment they obscured the sun.

  Bryn stepped off Meriel’s back and stood just behind a wing. She covered her brow. She removed Calibairn from the scabbard and placed the sword tip down in the sand.

  Meriel kept her wings open while Hansa walked toward her. The men did not move any closer to the beast.

  Fold back your wings.

  Meriel slowly folded her wings back.

  Hansa watched in fascination at the dragon’s display, enthralled by the dragon and the jewels on her scales that glistened in the light. She did not see Bryn standing in the sunlight that momentarily blinded her when Meriel’s wings folded back. When Hansa adjusted to the light and moved her eyes to look elsewhere, she saw Bryn standing in front of her, sword tip down.

  “Come no farther, shieldmaiden, if you wish that one to live,” Hansa said to Bryn. She pointed behind her to where Thalynder stood under guard. “I have the princess.”

  “Yes. You do. You want something else.”

  “I do.” Hansa felt a slight rise in her heart beat. There was something in the way the shieldmaiden spoke that made Hansa pause. She blinked and gave a little shake to her head.

  Heardred approached but stayed back away from the beast.

  “What does the maid want?” he asked. “Does she command the beast?”

  “Is the princess hurt?” Bryn asked.

  “My knife drew little blood, but she is not hurt.” Hansa spoke to Heardred. “She is here for the princess.”

  “Does she command the beast?” Heardred asked again.

  Bryn pushed her cloak hood back only enough for Hansa to better see her. Tresses of her dark hair loosely framed her face. The jewel was still hidden.

  Hansa stared at Bryn’s face. She seemed unable to speak. Bryn watched Hansa’s reaction to her and realized dark hair was not something Hansa saw very often. She softened her stance just a little and met Hansa’s eyes.

  “I do not command the beast. The beast has a mind of her own.”

  Hansa shook her head again as if to chase away the fog in her mind. “The beast is a female?”

  “Yes. And she is not a beast, she is a dragon.”

  “How is it that she is here?”

  Bryn saw Hansa’s guard drop a little with her curiosity about Meriel. Bryn took a small step forward. “Her race fell from the stars before men walked the earth.” Bryn reached out to touch Meriel. “Why are you taking the princess with you?”

  “My father wants to make you beg for her life,” Hansa replied. “He needs to be appeased for the death of his son.”

  So here was the confirmation that this was Hansa, Heardred’s daughter. “Your brother died a coward. But you say son. You do not say stepsons. Heardred will kill the princess.”

  “He will. Unless…” Hansa stopped. She reached out and started to touch Meriel but hesitated.

  “She will not harm you.”

  Hansa ran her hands over Meriel’s scales. She touched one of the jewels at Meriel’s neck. “Are these a natural part of her skin?”

  “No. I gave them to her.” Bryn could see that Hansa was fascinated by Meriel. She spoke to Meriel’s heart.

  I must stall them until the armies arrive.

  What would you have me do?

  A show of strength. Lift up and circle us.

  Hansa still had her hand on Meriel when Meriel raised her head. Hansa backed up and nearly tripped over a rock behind her. Meriel lifted up and left Bryn standing alone with Hansa.

  “Bring back the beast or the princess dies!” Heardred shouted behind Hansa.

  “Father, the beast could kill us with one breath,” Hansa cried.

  “The princess will die.” Heardred walked quickly to where Hansa and Bryn stood. “I will have the beast in payment for my son’s death or the princess will die. Command the beast to descend, and I will release the princess to you.”

  Bryn sensed what Heardred would do. He would kill Thalynder and her if Meriel did not go with them. And there was still the possibility that he would kill them anyway. She frowned and the jewel at her brow, still covered, darkened and grew cold.

  Reveal the jewel, Meriel said. She touched back down at Bryn’s back.

  No, now is not the time.

  “How do I know you will release the princess if the dragon consents to go with you?” Bryn asked.

  Hansa moved closer. “You have my word,” she replied for her father. “You and the princess will not be harmed. I only want the dragon. She will aid me in taking my father’s seat when he dies. It will lend credibility to our family back in Götaland.”

  So, there is trouble back home, Bryn thought.

  “Why should I help you? You have killed hundreds of my people. You would kill more. You will kill more.”

  “We will have the beast. You will have the island. That is all I offer. I cannot say what the others of Götaland will do when they see the beast. They may wish to find one of their own.” Heardred’s smile was menacing. “Decide now, or die now.”

  You must allow Meriel to go with them, Meydra said. She will not fail us.

  I cannot guarantee her safety.

  No, you cannot. Meriel will do what will best serve you. Allow her to go, my heart of hearts. She was born to protect you, and this is her destiny. The others will not follow Meriel. Our secret will remain safe.

  Bryn lowered her head. “The dragon will go with you. Free the princess.”

  Hansa shifted even closer and touched Meriel. “I will not harm you.”

  Bryn and Thalynder watched as the last of the Norsemen boarded the boats. Hansa had tethered Meriel to the bow of her boat and remained at her side. She had her sword drawn and stood as to protect the dragon. Bryn silently wished Meriel good-bye. Her heart ached as she watched the boats leave the shore. She raised Thalynder’s hand to her lips.

  “I never expected this,” Bryn said. “I feel as if I have betrayed all the companions before me.”

  The sound of hoofbeats grew nearer behind Heardred. He turned to see the men and horses gallop onto the beach. Behind the men, glints of light shot forth from the trees. “More swords,” he said back over his shoulder to his daughter.

  “Do not worry, Father.” Hansa glanced up at Meriel. “This dragon will provide you with all the boats and axes you need.”

  “How will we get the beast to do our bidding?” the helmsman asked.

  “How else do you get a slave to do your bidding?” Heardred replied. He looked at the beast and laughed.

  Bryn heard the horses approaching. She saw Arryn and Malcolm dismount quickly. They ran to Bryn and Thalynder.

  “You are unharmed?” Malcolm asked Thalynder.

  “I am. However, we have lost the little dragon.”

  Arryn touched Bryn’s arm. “We came as soon as we had word from IronHeart. I fear we are too late.”

  “A bargain was made.” Bryn pushed the cloak back from her brow a
nd raised her chin in defiance. The light from the jewel grew and spread out toward Meriel and the boats.

  I have you here in my heart, brave little one.

  Your heart of hearts is safe?

  Yes. She is here with me, dearest Meriel.

  I will take your light with me. I will never forget.

  Bryn did not turn to look at the others. She heard the voices of King Thamen and King Heli behind her and still she did not turn. She heard the beat of many wings on the wind and still she did not turn. Bryn stood watching the boat grow smaller and smaller against the horizon. She watched Meriel’s wings beat up and down until she could see them no longer.

  Bryn’s voice became as cold water in winter. “Heardred has taken Meriel. She is to be his as he tries to salvage his rule over the other tribes. There is trouble at home for this Norseman. My fear is that the other tribes will see Meriel and instead of fear her, they will covet her. It will not be long before more Norse raiders return to our shores.”

  Hansa watched the light grow and felt it touch her and the dragon. She gasped at the sadness she felt deep inside her heart. The helmsman saw the light and grasped Hansa’s arm.

  “Do you see that?” he asked. “What is it?”

  “Sorrow,” Hansa replied quietly.

  “Did you see the one who rode the beast?”

  “Yes. She wore strength on her shoulders, and life was in her words.”

  The helmsman chuckled and slapped Hansa on the shoulder. “Fall in love with the Druid did you?”

  Till gu talamh, leug camhanaich. Bryn looked at the words on her sword. How am I to lead if I have to give up those that I love? The choices are so hard. Bryn slid her sword back into the scabbard at her belt. She took Thalynder’s hand and walked out to the pyre.