by Chrys Cymri
One mother and calf wandered at the rear of the hundred-strong group. Raven hovered for a moment, deciding on his angle. Then he dropped into a steep dive. The calf was in his talons and he was away before the dam could react. He ignored the bellows behind him, and landed a short distance away to kill the bawling animal.
He ate well. As he lifted away from the remains, insects crawled out of nearby bushes to strip away the remaining meat. Raven hovered a moment, intrigued by their size. The ants were as long as one of his fingertoes, and the praying mantis was double that. Their equivalents in the valley were so small that he had often trodden them underfoot.
When he returned home, and opened the door, the house had been cleaned of its winter debris. The floor was free of mud and grass, the table and shelves gleamed, and all ashes had been removed from the fireplace. Audrey had left up the nativity figures throughout the winter, but the wooden ones were gone. Only his obsidian carvings remained in place.
The dress rested on the chair. Other clothes hung on the walls. From the fresh smell, Audrey had washed them, and left them outside most of the day to dry.
Audrey came from the bedroom, humming a tune under her breath. She had cut away her tangled locks of hair, and only short tufts covered her head. ‘I know it seems silly,’ she told Raven, ‘but I can’t stand leaving a place untidy. Did you eat well?’
‘Very well.’
‘Then it’s my turn.’ Audrey ladled broth into one of her clay bowls. ‘I can’t tell you how tired I am of soup.’
‘We could go fishing?’
‘I’m tired of fish, too.’ She sat at the table and grimaced at her meal. ‘I don’t know what I’m complaining about. If the war’s still on, it’s not like I’m going to have much better fare in England.’
‘London tomorrow,’ Raven said, hoping to bring the smile back to her face.
‘London tomorrow.’ She giggled. ‘And in my frock! What an utterly mad idea, Raven. But it does somehow feel right. Mad, but right.’
Chapter Eight
The smell of flowers filled the air. Raven stood outside the house, drawing the scent deep into his lungs. All of this land was his, from mountain to mountain, won in his fair fight with the trolls. The thought filled him with a fierce pride. Wherever he and Audrey visited, this was their home, a place he had gained for them both.
‘The dress makes this awkward,’ Audrey commented as she wrestled with the thick fabric before climbing from rock to dragon neck. ‘And Mark’s coat doesn’t make it any easier.’
Raven found himself temporarily speechless. The feel of her bare legs against his skin had driven the air from his lungs. Something far below his stomach stirred in a strange hunger. He waited as she adjusted the folds of her clothing. Then he headed downhill for a steady take-off.
The first crossing took them over the desert. The very air seemed baked with the heat of the sun. Raven quickened his speed to the next shimmer, and he felt Audrey relax as they emerged into cooler temperatures.
They were flying over a wide ocean. Raven turned to take advantage of a tail wind, using the extra force to increase his speed. ‘This is the first hour of straight flying,’ he told Audrey, glancing back at her.
‘It’s sunny, and not too cold,’ she told him, drawing the coat tighter across her chest. ‘I’ll be all right.’
They passed over several pods of whales. Bored by the long flight, Raven took them down for a closer look. Audrey exclaimed as water burst from the whales’ blowholes, dampening Raven’s belly and her legs. A little further on, they passed over a number of floating rafts. ‘I say,’ Audrey asked excitedly, ‘are those mermaids?’
Raven glanced down at the half-fish beings. Several waved at them, and he executed a spiral in response. ‘I don’t know,’ he replied as he took them higher again. ‘I’ve not seen anything like them before.’
Finally, he saw the shimmer dancing in the air. He ducked through.
They had left day for night. A full moon glowed above them, answered by bright lights below. Harsh sounds, metallic and human, made Raven pin his ears back against his head. Fumes rose from dark objects which travelled along smoothed paths. The thick stench made him work against tiring muscles to lift them to the next crossing.
The sun was just rising over a long stretch of forest. A strong wind allowed him to stretch his wings into a glide, providing a welcome rest. ‘This is the other hour of flying,’ he called back to Audrey.
‘I wonder where we are,’ she replied. ‘Those trees don’t look like anything I’ve ever seen before. They’re more like giant ferns.’
‘I only know how to find somewhere, not the name of where I am.’
‘As long as you can find London.’
‘Next crossing, and we’ll be there.’
‘Just be careful.’ A worried note had crept into her cheerful voice. ‘I’m not certain what people will make of a dragon flying over the city. Maybe try to stay high so we won’t be spotted?’
‘There aren’t any dragons in London?’
‘Not last I heard.’ Her laugh drove new energy into his wings.
Colourful birds rose from green branches to join him in the air. Raven watched as they ducked and dived around his wings, calling to each other as each tried to skim closer than the last. When one bounced off the stretched skin, Raven snorted a warning. The birds gathered into a flock, made one last swirl around his tail, and then returned to the forest below.
Audrey patted his neck. ‘This has been wonderful, Raven. Thank you.’
‘Flying is wonderful,’ he agreed. And it was even more so with her legs tight against his neck. After their visit to London, where could he take her next? There was so much to explore on both worlds.
The crossing beckoned at the edge of the forest. Raven beat his wings, rising into the blue sky. Then he took them through.
They emerged into a cloudy day. Remembering Audrey’s advice, Raven took them higher. Then he looked down, marvelling at the many buildings all crowded in together. Their glistening roofs spoke of an earlier rain. A brown river cut through the white and grey.
‘Looks like the war is over,’ Audrey said. ‘I don't see any recent damage. In fact, I think they’ve started to rebuild.’ Her shudder went through Raven’s body. ‘Oh, please God, don’t tell me that the Nazis won!’
‘What is a Nazi?’
‘The worst kind of demon,’ Audrey replied. ‘I need you to drop lower, Raven. We must find a flag. Look for some fabric, like a large blanket, on top of a building. And pray to God that it isn’t a swastika.’
Raven swung his head from side to side, searching. A flutter drew him towards a large set of buildings that formed a square in the midst of green grass and trees. He followed a broad street which led to an expanse of red ground.
‘Buckingham Palace!’ Audrey exclaimed. ‘And there’s a flag. Can you wait here for a moment? We need the wind to spread it out.’
Although his wings threatened to rebel, Raven pulled up into a hover. A breeze stirred the flag. And Audrey let out a large sigh. ‘It’s the Royal Standard. King George must be in residence, not Herr Hitler. I think we won the war, Raven. We won!’
Raven found a breeze and glided away. ‘Is that another flag down there?’
Audrey leaned low against his neck. ‘Yes. And it’s the Union Jack. Oh, the Lord be praised.’
‘The Lord be praised,’ Raven echoed. ‘And now where?’
‘Hyde Park, please. Let’s land there. If you stay away from the Serpentine, we might be able to avoid anyone seeing us.’
Raven extended his senses. Groups of humans had gathered in many of the open areas. But there was one section, hidden away by trees, which was empty. He dropped straight down, Audrey gripping his neck spine during their rapid descent. Careful use of his gas chamber gave him a landing which scarcely bent his knees.
For a moment they stood still. Raven took in deep breaths, and released a few flames. Audrey sighed loudly. Then she pulled up her righ
t leg and slid down to the grass. ‘London. England. I’m home!’
Raven snorted. ‘This isn’t your home.’
Audrey laughed. ‘No, not strictly speaking.’
‘It’s the valley.’
‘Home is in Hampshire, but this is close enough.’ She slipped out of the great coat and smoothed her dress. ‘The war is over, and I’m back in England.’
‘It stinks,’ Raven complained. Even in the park, the fumes reached through the trees from the nearby roads. ‘And it’s going to rain soon. Have you finished your visit?’
‘It’s not a visit. I’m staying.’ Audrey walked up to his head and patted his snout. ‘I’m so grateful for everything, Raven. For your help over the past year, and for bringing me here. I wouldn’t have survived without you. And now you’ve brought me home. Thank you.’
Raven drew back, confused. ‘But the valley is your home.’
Audrey laughed. ‘The valley was my prison. And now I'm free!’
‘I can take you somewhere else. Anywhere else. The beach?’
‘England is where I want to be.’
The damp atmosphere made his scales twitch. Raven put his distaste to one side. ‘Then I’ll stay here with you.’
‘Don’t be silly. What would I do with a dragon in London?’ Audrey pursed her lips. ‘Maybe a small dog, one day. That’s a far more practical pet. Go on, Raven. Time to find your own kind. It was selfish of me to keep you away from them for so long. Now you’re free, too. Goodbye. Thanks again for everything.’
Raven watched as she walked away, her shoulders straight, her head held high. Something rose in his throat, a sound between a scream and a roar. His gas chamber flooded, and he lifted from the ground. The sun broke through the clouds, sending a sudden glow across the clearing.
Audrey knelt down, extending her arms. Her voice was quiet, but he could still hear her words. She was praying, thanking her God for bringing her safely to where she belonged. Then she rose to her feet, and strode away, singing loudly. ‘“Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father. There is no shadow of turning with thee; thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not. As thou hast been thou forever wilt be.”’
Raven beat his wings, rising furiously into the fiery sky. Her words swirled through his head. ‘A more practical pet.’ ‘Find your own kind.’ ‘The valley was my prison.’ ‘Goodbye.’
The city lay below him, grey and damp and crowded. How could she prefer this to the valley? Pain clawed through his body, deeper and harsher than even the memory of his mother’s claws. Raven cried out, flames shooting across the sky. How could she choose this over him?
He plunged back through the crossing. The forest stretched out below him. Fury gave new strength to his wings, and he pounded towards the distant shimmer. When birds rose to accompany him, he blasted them with fire, sending charred bodies to fall back down into the greenery. The survivors screamed out a grief which matched his own.
Other creatures rose from the woods. They were only lightly feathered across their scaly bodies, and their red-brown wings were like his, skin stretched between thin bones. Long beaks filled with sharp teeth snapped and tore at his head, forcing him to turn away from the crossing he had used earlier. He forced extra speed into his aching muscles and headed towards another shimmer.
His attackers were left behind as he emerged above dry scrubland. For several minutes he was able to glide, giving his lungs time to recover. His mind was nearly as tired as his body. Another crossing was off to his left. Some distant warning tinged through his mind, but he ignored it. The valley drew him, the one place where he had always been safe. That’s where he needed to be, back in the land ringed by snow-capped mountains. Raven rose above the shimmer, then folded his wings to drop through.
A harsh wind whipped through his wings. He roared as hard balls of ice pummelled his skin. A dark storm raged around him. Jagged lightning flashed through the clouds, and the electric charge made his teeth ache. The sea churned below him, the crashing waves flinging salty water against his chest.
A sudden gust punched the left side of his body. Raven felt his ribs compress, and flames gushed from his jaws. Unable to control his wings, his gas chamber emptied, there was nothing to keep him in the sky. His legs and tail flailed at the air as he plummeted into the sea.
The cold water knocked the remaining air from his lungs. Raven opened his jaws, and liquid poured down his throat. His legs kicked against the pull of the depths, and his wings slapped uselessly at the shifting surface. The irony of his situation almost made him laugh. Audrey had saved him from drowning in the lake, and now, because of her, he was going to drown in an ocean.
A hard object rammed into his back. Raven gargled a protest. A voice rose above the sounds of wind and thunder. ‘Dal llonydd, rym ni wedi dy ddal!’
He obeyed, forcing himself not to kick out as hands reached and grabbed his neck spines. Nets were thrown across his body, and he felt movement below his belly as the ends were passed through the water and back up the other side. Welsh shouts ranged around him. Then the net was yanked, and he was hauled onto a wooden platform. The rough logs scratched against his skin, and he felt scales tear away. But he was too tired to protest.
One of his rescuers knelt beside his ears. ‘We have you, dragon,’ she said. ‘Rest now. There’s little more we can do until this storm passes.’
And despite the aches in his body and his soul, Raven laid down his head and slipped away into sleep.
<><><><><><>
When he woke, the storm had dwindled to a few sullen clouds and the occasional spit of wind. Raven raised his head and glanced around at his surroundings.
Several wooden rafts spread across the ocean. Beings like those Audrey had pointed out sat on logs or splashed in the water nearby. From the waist up, they looked human, although half of them lacked breasts. The lower parts of their bodies made him think of fish, although the ones without breasts had fleshy parts he had never seen on water creatures.
‘You’re awake.’
Raven turned his head. The speaker made her way across the platform, using her arms and tail to propel herself to his side. He paused a moment, bringing his long unused Welsh to mind. ‘Yes, I am. You rescued me from the storm.’
She balanced on the middle of her tail. Her long blonde hair was tinged with green, and extra white surrounded her irises. A necklace made from a mixture of coral, shells, and gems set in gold rested against her muscular chest. ‘That we did. The Pilot of the Middle Ocean, Abella of the Deep Seas, welcomes you. May we have the holding of your name?’
Raven opened his mouth. Then choked. The name he had used for so long had been given to him by Audrey. He wasn’t ready to hear it spoken by another being. ‘Hrafn. My name is Hrafn Eydisson, out of Eydis Asgersdottir by Wayland.’
‘Hrafn. Do you require food?’ A sudden squeal from his stomach answered her question. Abella clapped her long hands. ‘Bring a fish for the dragon!’
One fish? Raven wondered if she thought his appetite were that small. But the catch thrown onto the platform was the size of a deer. And it was still alive. Raven jabbed at the glassy eyes, sinking his teeth deep into the brain. Then he ate greedily of the thick flesh. It was utterly unlike the small fish Audrey had netted from the lake. When he had finished eating, he licked his lips for the last few morsels.
‘You saved my life,’ he said to Abella. ‘And given me food. How do I repay you?’
Her long face pulled into a frown. ‘We must feed you, because we saved your life. We’re now obliged to keep you alive.’
A sudden swell made the raft rise and fall. Raven dug his claws into the soft wood. ‘You might have to feed me for a few days yet. I feel bruised all over.’
‘Our physician has examined you,’ Abella said. ‘Nothing physical was broken. Your body will heal in a few days. We have treatments which can speed your recovery.’
Raven stared into her bright green eyes. ‘What do you mean, “nothing physical”?’
‘You spoke in your sleep.’ She came closer. A pleasant tang of salt and fresh fish rose from her hair. ‘One name, over and over. Audrey. You sounded in pain every time you said her name. Did she die in the storm?’
‘I lost her long before the storm.’
‘Our sorrow for your sorrow,’ Abella said gravely. ‘We have no treatment for such a wound, except that of time.’
‘She didn't die.’ Raven looked away. ‘She decided she didn’t want me.’
‘Then that is a deep wound indeed.’ Abella laid a cool hand on his muzzle. ‘Our first husband, Regnier, was a were-orca. He promised to give up piracy and live alongside us. But the call of gold and robbery was too great. We finally set him free, for both our sakes. Take time, Hrafn. We found love again, as will you.’
‘No,’ Raven declared. ‘I don’t want anyone else.’
She smiled. ‘We see that you’re a young drake. Listen to one who has lived long, and learned to love well. One day you will come across someone worthy of your body and soul.’
Raven snorted. ‘And how would I recognise her?’
‘You will know. And do bring her to meet us. Or him.’ Abella waved her hand. ‘Whichever you do choose. That one will also be welcome here.’
‘Him?’
‘A male. As you are.’
‘I still don’t understand.’
‘We are a merwoman,’ she said, pointing at herself. Then she pointed away. ‘That is a merman. Note the difference in physical characteristics. You carry the signs of your gender between your hind legs. Has no one explained this to you, young drake?’
‘My mother chased me from the longhouse,’ Raven explained. ‘Then Audrey saved me from the lake. She’s human. I thought all humans were like her.’
‘Now we understand.’ Abella motioned at a merman, and he rolled a log over. She took a seat. ‘Then, in the absence of your parent, it falls to us to explain the ways of males and females to you.’