Mia couldn’t bear to think of such a thing happening to Trig and was determined to make him better. The small dragon lapped up all the extra attention as Mia spent more and more time with him. She coaxed him from his straw bed in the corner to get up and move around and become more agile. Bella watched approvingly, well pleased with her young apprentice.
Mia also tried to tempt Trig with a variety of foods, saving stuff from her school lunchbox and sneaking things from the fridge at home. Trig would sniff at everything curiously before looking up at her sad-eyed, rejecting the foods he did not like. By accident she discovered he loved apples and made sure to bring some every day. He also liked cheese and crackers and carrots and grapes. He adored chocolate, but she was sure it was bad for him and pretended not to have any more.
‘You’d best get home,’ suggested Bella, one dismal grey evening. ‘’Tis beginning to rain.’
Mia patted each of the dragons goodbye, before putting up her pink umbrella and letting herself out the back door. It was lashing rain, the water bouncing off the umbrella as she tried to run through the wet grass. Her trouser ends and shoes got soaked. Her heart sank knowing the trouble she’d be in for staying out on such an evening. Trying to think of some excuse, Mia became aware of a whining cry close by. Was it Jackie? Something moved behind her, she could sense it.
‘Trig!’ she cried.
She almost jumped out of her skin, seeing the young dragon following her.
‘What are you doing, you silly thing!’ she said, running back to him. He was soaking wet but oblivious to this, he butted her playfully with his snout.
‘You should be inside!’ she scolded, trying to sound cross with him. ‘You’ll catch cold! What will Bella say about this?’
As if understanding, the dragon dropped his head, whimpering quietly.
‘You can’t come home with me,’ she explained firmly. ‘I wish you could Trig, but you just can’t.’
Putting down her umbrella, she managed to half turn and lift the dragon. The two of them getting soaked through, rain dripping down her face and eyes, as stumbling she awkwardly carried Trig back to the house.
The old woman opened the door before she even had a chance to knock.
‘So, he followed you.’
Panting and out of breath, Mia was glad to put the heavy young dragon down on the kitchen table and hand him over to Bella.
‘He must have escaped somehow, he was behind me, luckily I heard him and I–’
‘Trig has chosen you to be his keeper, Mia. Dragons do that. It is a bond that is not easily broken,’ said the old woman seriously.
Mia did not know what to say, but she could see a new respect in Bella’s eyes. Soaked to the skin, her long, wet hair plastered to her scalp, she sighed.
‘I have to go home,’ she explained. ‘I’m in enough trouble already, but tell Trig I’ll see him again tomorrow – I promise!’
Granny Rose
The Murphys couldn’t understand it. Mia was spending every spare minute of her time with the old Bird Woman. What the two of them talked about or did was a total mystery to everyone else. Mia raced through her homework every evening, and no longer bothered with her favourite television programmes in her rush to visit Bella.
‘I asked Mia if she would she like to have some friends over after school,’ said her mother, perplexed, ‘and she tells me she’s too busy. None of her friends have been here for weeks! You know, I met Mrs Blackwell the other day when I was shopping and she seems a nice, gentle sort of person, slightly eccentric, perhaps, but for the life of me I cannot understand why Mia is so taken with her.’
Since the day in the woods, Rory knew that Mia had been avoiding him. He wondered sometimes whether the conversation about imaginary dragons had actually taken place. Mia had made no further mention of any such creatures since. He missed playing and hanging around with her, but he was busy finishing a project for school on the Romans – he had to make a model of the Coliseum out of cardboard. As well as that, he was playing in the football league finals after school. Anyway, his sister seemed happy enough without him, so why should he worry.
Mum and Dad were preparing for a trip to America where Dad was to take part in the annual Amateur Magicians of the World Convention in Las Vegas.
‘You will keep an eye on Mia while we’re away, Rory? I can rely on you to look after your sister, can’t I?’ Mum said, looking somewhat worried.
‘Of course, Mum,’ he promised. ‘Granny and Mia and I will be fine. Don’t worry about us!’
The day of their departure finally came. Mum was busy checking passports and airline tickets and American dollars, and singing ‘Viva, Las Vegas’ under her breath when she thought no one was listening
Rory helped Dad carry the suitcases and his props out to the car. He had never seen his Dad look so happy and excited. For the past two days he had rehearsed non-stop, perfecting his routine. His new trick, The Chinese Dragon, was amazing. A cardboard dragon would suddenly appear from a cloud of smoke and belch smoke and flames at the audience.
‘Have you got everything, Matt?’ asked Mum, checking the boot and the back seat.
His father did a quick mental check. Everything seemed to be in order. He reminded Rory of a great explorer setting out on an adventure.
‘We’d better hurry,’ said Dad, ‘or we’ll miss our flight.’
Mum gave them all a last hug and goodbye kiss.
‘Are you sure you’ll be able to manage, Rose, that the children won’t be too much for you?’
Granny pretended to look offended. ‘It’s only for a few weeks, Helen. We’ll be just fine. You and Matt go and enjoy yourselves in America. We’ll be dying to hear all about it.’
Rory and Mia and their grandmother stood watching as Mum and Dad drove off towards Glenkilty. They were flying to San Francisco first, and then on to Las Vegas. Mia was in a bit of a huff, she hated it when Mum and Dad went away and left her, even if Granny was in charge.
That evening, Mia was even more annoyed. She’d helped tidy up after tea and swept the kitchen floor, and yet Granny was insisting she stay home.
‘What are you going around to Mrs Blackwell’s for, Mia? What do you do next door, pet?’
Mia just shrugged her shoulders.
‘Mrs Blackwell is very old,’ began Rose Murphy. ‘She’s even older than I am. I know what a good, kind, sweet-hearted girl you are, Mia, but nobody expects you to spend every minute of your time with her.’
‘But I like going next door,’ Mia protested. ‘Nobody minded when Rory used go to see Mr Hackett all the time when he lived there.’
‘That was different,’ interrupted Rory. ‘He used to help me build my airfix planes, and taught me how to play chess.’
‘Well, Mrs Blackwell teaches me things too.’
‘What sort of things, Mia?’ quizzed her grandmother.
‘All about the olden days.’
‘Olden days?’
‘Long ago, centuries ago, before you were born, Granny.’
‘Ah, history! What else do you do?’
‘I just help her, that’s all.’
‘That glasshouse of hers is magnificent. Do you help her out there?’ asked Granny, staring at her.
Mia blushed.
‘Is she growing plants in it like Barney Hackett did?’
Mia looked uncomfortable, unsure of what to say.
‘Is it like an aviary? Filled with birds?’ asked Rory. ‘Is that it? Mrs Blackwell loves birds, doesn’t she?’
Grateful to her brother, Mia just nodded. She didn’t want to deceive her family and tell lies, but she had to protect Bella and the dragons.
‘Was that a bird I saw you with the other night – you were carrying it in next door?’ asked Granny.
Glad of her Granny’s poor eyesight, Mia tried to think of what to say without telling a blatant lie.
‘It strayed outside, Granny. The poor thing got injured a while ago and I managed to catch it for Bella.’
Suddenly, as if realising that she had said too much, Mia stood up to go.
‘Listen, Mia, pet, I’d prefer if you didn’t go next door this evening. If you want to do something useful, why don’t you put the lead on poor Jackie and take her for a walk.’ Granny Rose watched the expression on Mia’s face carefully.
Mia didn’t know what to say. Why was Granny being such an interfering old busybody? Grabbing the dog’s lead, she ran out the back door, Jackie yelping with delight and in a frenzy of excitement at the prospect of a walk.
Rose Murphy sighed as her granddaughter left the room. ‘Rory, things are much worse than I expected. Mia is obsessed with that woman. She’s in great danger and we must try to protect her.’
Rory was stunned. This was a bit over the top. He came over and sat down near Granny. He was really fond of her and always did as she told him to, but what she was saying sounded barmy. He looked at her closely. Rose Murphy was a big, broad, strong, sensible Wicklow woman, not given to superstitious talk, and he knew she would move heaven and earth for the sake of her family.
‘Mia’s all right, Granny. Don’t worry about her.’
‘I can’t help it, Rory. You know, you and Mia are so different! You’re so practical, but your sister lives in her imagination. She’s caught up in something now, I can sense it.’
‘You think the Bird Woman is dangerous?’
‘Aye,’ murmured Granny. ‘What would the likes of that Bella Blackwell want with your sister? Has she no family or grandchildren of her own? I can’t figure it out. It’s as if she’s put a spell on the child, bewitched her. Why would the old woman do such a thing?’
Rory could see Granny was getting agitated. Her face was flushed, her hands were shaking. The situation with Mia and Bella was obviously upsetting her and that worried him.
‘I’ll look after Mia, Granny, I promise!’
‘You’re a good boy, Rory. I think I’m beginning to understand the danger Mia faces. Your sister needs to be kept safe, protected.’
‘I’ll keep a good eye on her, don’t you worry,’ said Rory, giving his grandmother a hug.
Reassured, Granny Rose took up the newspaper crossword and a pen.
‘Conjuring tricks, five letters?’
‘Magic,’ replied Rory automatically. The two of them finished off the crossword together.
Dragon Days
The young dragons were getting bigger and stronger everyday. Even Mia realised that they could no longer remain hidden in the glasshouse, for they were rapidly outgrowing the space it provided. They were constantly hungry too, and calling for more and more food.
‘They need to learn to hunt and provide some of their own nourishment,’ said Bella. ‘It’s not good for them to be cooped up like this. I caught Arznel and Oro fighting this morning, jostling for territory.’
Worried, Mia reached down and stroked Trig’s bumpy forehead. The young dragon still came to her the minute he saw her, snuffling against her, touching her gently with his head, looking for attention. In her mind he was the finest of them all. He might not be as big as the others yet, but to her he seemed more beautiful, better proportioned. The colour of his skin shimmered and changed in the sunlight from a dark, almost blackish blue to the palest soft blue, the colour of a misty sky. The others chattered and chirruped and gave baby dragon roars every now and then, but Trig listened, taking in all that was said to him. His wing was healing, though it was still too soon for him to fly.
‘Soon we must leave, child. The dragons cannot stay here any longer. They need space to grow and fly and hunt. It’s dangerous for them here now. In Dragon Wood they will be safe. Dragons have lived there for many centuries. Tall trees and silver lakes and vast, grassy plains – there’s no finer place for them to grow into the fabulous creatures nature intended. Your world here is no place for them!’
Mia brought her face close to Trig’s and stared into his eyes. How could she bear never to see this young dragon again, or listen to Bella’s tales of magic and sorcery?
She knew that in the dark of night, Bella had already started to take the dragons out one at a time, letting them fly to test their growing wings. Several times in the past week, hearing the heavy, rapid movement of wings, she’d peeped out her bedroom window to see a nervous dragon lost in the inky sky, an awkward, black shape that seemed like some enormous bird struggling to keep itself up in the air.
‘Come with us, Mia!’ pleaded the old woman. ‘The work with the dragons has only begun. You are young and able and in time will be a powerful dragon keeper – and an even more powerful mage, knowing all the secrets of the old magic. I promise to teach you everything I know, pass on all the wisdom of my many years, and help you to learn the craft of sorcery. Come with me! Be my apprentice and learn all the magic and dragon ways that I can teach you. I am old, and these dragons will need someone to comfort and care for them when I am gone. They already know and love you, magician’s daughter. Come with me and fulfil your destiny!’
Mia looked into Bella’s face. It seemed like every year showed in her worn, tired face, and she looked frail and vulnerable. Mia was torn. She didn’t know what to think, or say, or do any more. A part of her wanted to spend the rest of her life with Trig and the other dragons, learning the old woman’s secrets, becoming a magician, and yet another part of her just wanted to be an ordinary schoolgirl, growing up in Glenkilty and living a normal life with her family.
How had all this happened, that she had become so caught up with the old woman and lost touch with the real world? Perhaps she had read too many books and listened to too many stories, and somehow had led Bella to find her. The magic had overtaken her, her imagination guiding her to be here with Bella and the dragons. The whole thing was just so unbelievable that she couldn’t think calmly and clearly about it at all.
‘But what about my family, my Mum and Dad? I can’t leave them Bella, I love them!’
‘You will always love them, child, but you will not always stay their little girl. In time you will grow up, Mia, become a young woman and leave them anyway. Such is the way of life.’
An image of herself as a young woman flashed into Mia’s mind – standing alone, power and magic filling her, looking down on a kingdom which she ruled.
The old woman stared deep into her eyes. ‘You will have power, and knowledge of deep magic. Creatures great and small will bow down to your will and many will follow you, magician’s daughter, believe me! You want to come with me, child. I know you do.’
Uncertainty crawled around Mia’s brain, she felt the old woman was trying to control her thoughts and emotions. Instinctively, she looked away, concentrating on a small red robin that sat outside on the windowsill. Now she could sense Bella’s annoyance. In an instant, the old woman had disappeared and Mia watched with horror as a huge, black cat sprang up on to the sill. The terrified robin, in a useless fluttering of wings, was tossed to the ground, and the self-satisfied cat crawled through the window and rubbed itself against her legs.
Glancing down at the cat’s smooth, silky coat, Mia noticed the slightly raised marking on the cat’s forehead which resembled dragon’s wings, and realised that it was, in fact, Bella herself. Mia backed away, aghast, and watched as Bella changed back into herself again.
‘I don’t like interference,’ she said sharply.
Mia was scared. What if Bella turned her into something and refused to turn her back again? The sorceress was staring at her intently, waiting for her reaction.
‘When will you leave Glenkilty?’ Mia asked softly.
‘Tomorrow, perhaps, or the next night. When the wind is right and the moon is full, to guide us on our journey. You know we cannot delay much longer, child, or we risk the dragons being discovered. Can you imagine what your newspapers and television and radio would do if they found out about them! No, it’s best that we leave for Dragon Wood and the castle as soon as pos
sible. The dragons will be safe there.’
‘What about Trig? He can’t fly.’
‘Aah!’ said Bella, sighing ‘Your favourite. Trig is a weakling, and besides, as you say, he cannot fly yet. How would I manage him along with the seven others? No, I will have to leave him behind.’
Hope swelled in Mia’s heart. ‘Let me mind him, keep him safe here with me,’ she pleaded. ‘I’ll look after him, Bella, I promise.’
‘Child, you know little of dragons. Trig would never survive here on his own. He is not a pet, like that little barking dog of yours. Trig is a dragon, one of the most complicated and rarest of creatures and, as you know, the blues are the most difficult to raise and train. Without the others, and left to survive in this modern world of yours, I’m afraid that Trig will die. It may take a few weeks, longer maybe, and I know those will be hard weeks for you as you are fond of him, but I’m afraid he will die.’
Mia didn’t know what to say or do. Bella couldn’t mean it, just leaving Trig to die like that, pretending he didn’t matter. Mia wouldn’t stand for it!
‘Take him with you! Take him to the castle too!’ she pleaded. ‘You can’t just give up on him, he’s such a beauty.’
‘How can I take him?’ the old woman shouted angrily at her. ‘I have seven other dragons to mind, young dragons who have barely learned to fly and who have a long journey ahead of them. Do you want me to abandon them for the sake of one who is already weaker and injured and may not survive anyway?’
Mia shook her head.
‘Come with me, child!’ cajoled the old woman. ‘You can carry Trig safely. He would travel with you, I know he would!’
Mia didn’t know what to say. She suspected the old woman was manipulating her, using her love of Trig against her, but at this moment she felt she had no choice but to go.
‘If I go with you, you must promise me that you’ll let me return home when I want. Do you promise?’ she insisted fiercely. ‘I’m only going to help you with Trig and then I’ll come back to Glenkilty! Promise that you’ll set me free then!’
In Deep Dark Wood Page 4