He didn’t answer for a moment, seeming to focus on the task of saddling the young horse. “Yes.”
“I’m not taking your horse. I’ll take one of the King’s…”
“The others aren’t as well trained. Bruto here won’t even bat an eye at a dragon whereas the others will leave you high and dry and forced to walk home. I would feel much better if I knew you were riding him. Please.”
We locked eyes and after a moment I gave up and sighed. “Very well, but you better take one of the King’s in exchange.”
“Don’t worry about me, girl, just focus on your task and please stay alive.”
I grabbed a sleeping bag and saddle bags so that I wouldn’t have to carry all of the items myself. I decided to leave the most essential of my items in the bag I would be carrying just in case the horse and I got separated so that I would still have the things with me. Marcov secured the bags to the saddle and pet the colt on his neck. “Take care of her, Bruto.”
The horse bobbed his head and I mounted him before I thought better of taking Marcov’s horse. “Thank you,” I told him earnestly.
He nodded his head and stepped back so that I could head out. I clucked my tongue and Bruto set out at a smooth trot. The Prince stared at me as I passed by him, but I just held my chin up and rode on. I stopped at my house and picked some of the vegetables and fruits and then took some of the money I had saved. I also packed some of my clothes and found the map my father had drawn for us. I looked at the small house and hoped I would make it back here and have Elianora with me.
Lucky for me, the path to the Mlira, the land of dragons, was perfectly north from Dalma so it wouldn’t be easy to get lost. I mounted Bruto and we took one deep breath together, letting the air whoosh out of our lungs and then began our journey.
CHAPTER TWO
The first two days were uneventful and boring as we walked and trotted north. I had never seen a dragon in person before, only heard them described by people. Some said they were larger than a castle and others said they could breathe fire. Some said they were more intelligent than any other animal, while others said they were no smarter than a bull. Da had seen one and he told me that they were crafty, but a smart human could beat them by using their wits.
The sun set and the chill of night began to seep into my body. “We had better stop for the night, Bruto.”
After dismounting and finding an area off of the road with enough room for me to lie down, I made camp. It had been years since I had camped, but luckily, I still remembered the important lessons my da had taught me. Now more than ever, I was so thankful for everything he had taught us. Although Eli never cared for the lessons, I knew that they would come in handy someday. This wasn’t exactly what I had in mind when I thought about it, but I was grateful nonetheless.
Bruto nibbled on grass while I stared up at the trees overhead. When Da was here, our lives had been so easy. We played all the time, helped Ma in the garden when ordered, and Eli got in to trouble constantly, but got out of it because of who Da was. Growing up I had kept to myself and although I had a few friends in the city, I preferred listening to Oma tell me tales and life lessons through those tales. I knew what she was doing with those tales, but I felt more mature than the other kids and I had to attribute it to the tales.
Da used to say, “Don’t listen to everything that crazy old lady says. She makes up stories more than retells them.”
I was fine with that. I think more than anything Oma wanted to spend time with someone. Opa had died a decade earlier and she was lonely without her husband. She had told me a few tales about dragons and the men who had killed them. What had happened? How had they killed them? I tried to remember, but was too exhausted from the excitement and stress of the day. I closed my eyes and slept soundly.
***
The colt was able to keep up a trot for many miles which pleased me because it was allowing me to make good time. I really wanted to be back in less than two months, but the journey there would probably take half a month and then I had the task of hunting down a dragon and killing it. Although I didn’t savor the option, I knew I could find a baby and kill it to satisfy the King’s request. It would be my last resort.
Days and nights turned into a week and then finally I found another town. It was large and loud and full of people. I urged Bruto towards an inn and was delighted to find it had vacancy. The stable boy took Bruto and I gave him an extra coin for brushing him down for the night.
After grabbing all of my bags I stepped into the noisy inn and headed to the innkeeper’s desk. The woman sitting behind the desk was so old that she had a permanent stoop in her posture. She had short, white hair that stuck out in every direction and made her look as though struck by lightning. I had rarely seen a woman with such rough skin, even Ma who worked out in the sun all the time had never had rough skin. “Room for one, please,” I requested just loud enough to be heard over the noisy people who were enjoying food and drinks.
“How long?” she asked in an oddly loud and commanding voice despite her appearance.
“One night.”
She very slowly reached around behind her, opened a chest with a key kept around her neck and pulled out another key with a tag on it. It felt like an entire day had passed before she turned around and held out the new key in a trembling hand. “Room seven is up the stairs and to the left. Price is six coins.”
I handed her the coins and took the key. “Thank you.”
She looked down at the desk and seemed to go to sleep instantly. I didn’t bother her with any more questions since I was sure I could figure the rest out on my own. The stairs were empty as I made my way up them, but as soon as I reached the landing a man in a dark grey cloak ran into me. I grabbed the railing to keep from falling, but my bags were heavy and I felt the terrible stomach churning feeling of falling. Suddenly the feeling disappeared and warmth radiated up my arm from where the man had grabbed me to steady me.
“My apologies, ma’am, I wasn’t paying attention,” he said in a voice that seemed familiar yet not. He released my arm and took a step back from me.
I looked at the square jaw and stubble lining it, up to lips that were a little more plump than usual on a man, to a perfectly straight nose and finally to soul piercing green eyes. “Thank you for grabbing me before I fell. I hadn’t realized I was so unstable with these bags,” I said since politeness was very important.
He smiled and I found myself smiling back without waiting for his words. “I’m Luke,” he said, holding out his hand.
I looked at his extended hand and saw a shimmer of blue. Warlock. “I’m Tanya, but you already know that from holding my arm,” I said with a smirk as I looked up into his eyes.
His smile changed into amusement. “Ah, a child of a magic user.”
I shook my head. “Grandchild. The ability did not pass on to my mother or me.”
His smile wilted a little. “Well, the gods couldn’t give you magic and such beauty or no mortal would survive a meeting with you.”
I laughed and stepped around him. “Thank you, sir. I needed a laugh this week.”
“Would you like to join me for dinner?” he asked as I walked towards my room.
Should I? Oma had warned me that some warlocks were evil and used dark magic that could steal a person’s essence. I looked back at Luke and didn’t see any of the darkness that she said would stain them. “Can I have a few minutes to freshen up?” I asked him.
“Of course.”
I hadn’t had dinner with a man in three years. I changed clothes since I’d been wearing the same ones from the time I left Dalma. I used some perfume I had made and splashed a bit on in hopes that I wouldn’t smell as bad, ran a brush through my hair and then locked my door behind me so no one could steal my stuff.
“Sorry it took me so long,” I apologized as I approached him where he was leaning against the top of the staircase.
“No need to apologize,” he insisted and then waved his hand to
wards the staircase. “Ladies first.”
I walked down the staircase, very aware of his presence behind me. I had only met one other warlock in my life and although I had felt his presence similar to Luke’s, Luke was very different. The people in the tavern on the first floor had somehow grown louder while I had been upstairs. I searched through the crowded room filled with tables that seemed to be completely full of people, trying to find an empty one. There were so many people that some were even standing next to the bar top.
Someone’s hand pressed against my lower back and nudged me forward. “Over there,” Luke said into my ear. His warm breath tickled and as we walked, I shivered. Why was this man affecting me so much when none of the others at Dalma had? He guided me towards a table where a couple had just stood up and before anyone else could take the seats, Luke swooped in. I sat down and stared at him while one of the workers cleared the table. He was handsome, but his cloak hid his body so I wasn’t sure if he was in good shape or not. He had a scar on the side of his neck and one on his left ear. His eyes were incredibly mesmerizing and…he had caught me staring at him. Crap. How embarrassing!
“So, what brings you here?” I asked him.
“Passing through on my way north,” he said, thankfully not bringing up that I had been staring at him. Maybe he knew. Maybe he was well aware that he was attractive and he was used to stupid girls checking him out.
Two mugs of ale were set down in front of us, but I wasn’t a fan of ale so I pushed mine a bit away.
“You don’t like ale?” he asked me.
I shook my head and said, “I never acquired the taste for it.”
He set his hand on top of the mug and whispered something under his breath. The mug shimmered and then returned to its dull brown color. “There,” he told me and scooted it back towards me.
I peered inside and stared in shock at clear water. “Whoa.”
He smiled smugly. “It’s really water, I promise.”
I tentatively took a sip and was shocked at how good it tasted. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. So, Tanya, where are you headed?” he asked as he drank from his mug.
“North as well,” I answered vaguely.
“Perhaps we didn’t meet by chance then,” he said somewhat seriously. Oma told me that warlocks didn’t believe in coincidences.
“Perhaps. Or maybe it was just a chance meeting for us to enjoy a meal without being alone,” I offered.
“Ah, a pessimist,” he said. “I find that refreshing in a woman. Most are very optimistic and see the sun on the other side of the storm.”
“You have to survive the storm to see the sun again,” I said, feeling completely at ease with him. He reminded me of Da in some ways.
“How far north are you headed?” he asked as he sipped from his mug. His movements were slow and deliberate; it made me wonder how skilled of a fighter he was.
“Pretty far,” I said and took a drink from my mug.
He smiled at me. “A mysterious northern journey? I didn’t think you could be more interesting to me.”
“How far north are you headed?” I asked him with a smile that wouldn’t go away despite my attempts.
“Clinba, but I may go farther north depending on how swift my travel is.”
Clinba was a very odd town, made up of predominantly warlocks, a day from Mlira. Oma said she had always wanted to go there, but the trip was too far for her and Opa refused to take her. He hadn’t liked magic much.
Food was set on our table despite us not having ordered it, but I wasn’t going to complain. I took a few bites and he asked, “Why is a young woman like you traveling alone? Surely your father isn’t okay with this?”
“My father is dead, but you are correct that he would not approve of this journey,” I said between bites.
“Then why are you traveling alone?” he asked.
“Because my father wasn’t here to stop it and it’s a mission I must make in order to save my sister.” Oops. I hadn’t meant to tell him all of that.
“A mission? What could possibly be north that would save your sister?”
“I mean no offense, Luke, but it’s a personal matter that I’d rather not discuss,” I said without looking at him.
He leaned forward and in as quiet a voice as he could while still loud enough for me to hear he asked, “Are you in trouble?”
“Not yet,” I answered vaguely. “In a month’s time that answer may be very different.”
“What is this mission?” he asked me. “Perhaps I can help you?”
Why was he so willing to help me when he knew nothing of me? “I must do this alone,” I said even though it wasn’t technically true. The king hadn’t ordered me to do it alone.
“You’re lying.”
“Why offer your help to a woman you don’t know? I could be evil? I could be sent to steal a warlock’s powers and you’re walking right into my trap?”
He leaned back in his chair, his food already eaten and looked at me for a long moment in silence. “You’re right. You might be luring me to my death, but then again, I might be able to prevent yours.”
“My death isn’t guaranteed,” I muttered angrily. No one had any faith in me or believed I could return.
“So, your mission is a life-threatening trial.”
That filthy warlock tricked me. “You’re problematic,” I told him without any real anger.
“You’re frightened.”
“Of course, I am.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want to die.”
“Then why not let me help you?”
“Because it’s not your mission.”
“Perhaps the gods sent me here to help you.”
“Perhaps the trickster has thrown me into your path and if you choose to help me, you will die.”
“You’re stubborn.”
“So are you.”
“You don’t know me.”
I smiled and said, “You don’t know me either, Luke. That’s why I must decline your offer.” I stood up, placed a few coins on the table and walked away. “Thanks for the company.”
He didn’t follow me, but then again, I hadn’t expected him to. I couldn’t believe I had revealed so much to him. Clearly, I had spent too much time alone these last few years.
I lay in bed and thought about Luke. Having a warlock would be a huge help against a dragon. Then again, if he died I would never be able to forgive myself. Despite wanting a companion, I knew it was better if I kept to myself like I always did. Being alone meant that I didn’t have to worry about someone hurting my feelings or their death crushing my heart. That settled it. Alone it was.
* * *
I woke up early the next morning, returned the room key and saddled Bruto. I set off from the inn before the sun had even peaked over the mountains. Bruto jogged down the road and I started trying to figure out my plan for fighting a dragon. My first goal was to find somewhere that I could watch them and study them. If I could find a weakness I might be able to survive this mission.
I had no idea what Mlira was like or if I could even get close enough to study the dragons without them seeing me, but I had to hope.
I was incredibly bored with no one to talk to so I started to sing. I sang any and all songs my Oma and Ma had taught me and it wasn’t until Bruto snorted that I realized something was wrong. I stopped singing and looked around me, but no one was in sight. There were also no animals nearby or birds singing.
That could only mean one thing: predator. I squeezed my legs around Bruto and urged him into a gallop. Bruto raced down the path and as we flew by a strangely shivering group of trees, I saw what had scared the animals away. It was taller than a draft horse and had legs as thick as the tree trunks. Its head was bearlike, but it’s roar sounded more like a lion than a bear. The beast charged out onto the road and pounded the ground with four massive paws as it raced after us.
“Faster Bruto! That thing will kill you if it catch
es us!” I yelled at the poor young horse.
I could see the whites of his eyes as he ran and hoped I would be able to stop him or turn him if need be despite his fear. The beast roared at us and when I glanced behind I felt my throat constrict from fear. How was this giant thing so fast?! I drew my sword and hoped that I wouldn’t die here, before I had even had a chance to see a dragon.
The beast leapt towards me and I screamed my mightiest battle cry as I tried to cut its stomach open with my sword.
CHAPTER THREE
Bruto limped slowly while I tried to stay conscious and in the saddle. The beast had injured Bruto’s front left leg, torn my clothes to shreds, and opened a variety of gashes across my body. I hurt everywhere and felt as though run over by an ox. I pressed my cheek against his neck and whispered, “We’re almost there, Bruto. Just a bit farther and someone will fix you right up.”
I truthfully had no idea how far it was to the town of Clinba, but I had to hope it was close or I would give in to my desire to sleep. If I did that, I knew I wouldn’t wake up. I still couldn’t believe I’d killed that stupid bear beast, but I had and I had protected Bruto in the process, which made me happy. It proved that I wasn’t some useless woman like most men thought. I could take care of myself and kill even a savage creature.
Bruto stopped, lowered his head and took a few deep breaths before he started walking again. If I were capable of walking on my own I would have climbed off to relieve him of my weight, but I knew I couldn’t.
Da had come home beaten up and bloody like this once and Ma had chastised him for hours while she treated him. I knew it was more out of worry than actual anger. I could only imagine what she would say to me if she saw me now.
My eyelids grew too heavy and closed despite my attempts to keep them open. I could hear people talking and smell food cooking, but I couldn’t open my eyes. I wanted to sleep. I wanted to let go of it all. All of my worry, all of my pain, all of my fear. I tried to sit up and then I fell onto the ground. A woman screamed and feet moved quickly around me.
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