by Karine Green
"Thank you, Trainer," Rini said, nodding.
"No apology is necessary. I will try harder to control myself. Come, Rini, let's watch them swim from the balcony. I feel like...I need to rest." He almost said, like I ate too much, but thought it might be in poor taste after what had happened yesterday.
She nodded and followed him up the stairs to their private quarters. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, just an over-full feeling." Guilt about the poor knight was also eating at him.
"That was algae-rich water, it's one of only a handful of plants a Water Dragon can eat. Otherwise, you're pretty much limited to meat." She smiled and patted his back with her tail the way his mother used to on the rare occasion she felt like being a mother.
He groaned as he lay down on the balcony. "I'll keep that in mind when they refill the pool. I don't' want to get fat."
He lay there with Rini, both smiling as they watch the village's sickest children swim with the help of some old nurses.
"They are looking healthier as they swim.” He pointed to one of the nurses. “The nurses helping them are also looking younger; her wrinkles are disappearing before our eyes."
"Yes, Love," Rini said, wrapping her tail around his. "Water Dragons heal. Remember the missing scale on my back? It healed when you kissed it."
"That would explain why the villagers tolerated me after the knight incident. I am health insurance on steroids." He could go visit the knight later.
Rini nodded. "A Water Dragon in a village is a blessing. They have poor training techniques here. The knights are trained to ‘take’ dragons, but you are an Elemental Dragon, not a Stoney. Elemental Dragons choose their own riders, it's the rule."
"Don't say Stoney, it’s disrespectful. You are far too high above them to use their demeaning slang. And, I will meet with the trainer later and see if we can come up with a new training program after I visit the knight. Maybe I can help with his arm." He felt almost sick at the amount of food he had in him. It’d be days before he’d want to eat again.
She nodded. "Let's just rest and continue to heal from our ordeal."
After a few minutes of watching the children play, he fell asleep, allowing his full belly to digest.
The Bow Problem
Misty grunted as she tried to pull the bow back. Mack lay on his palm leaf bed on his little patio area to the rear of his barn watching her. It overlooked his private training grounds. He was getting worried about Misty. It had been five days and she still struggled to even pull the bow back. The villagers were now questioning her ability to be a dragon rider- to any dragon let alone a Great Dragon. He hoped the new crossbow would help Misty.
Private training grounds, it's good to be rich. But it is also good to pay for it by stopping that wind shear coming down off the mountains that were tearing up the fruit and nut trees, along with the vegetable fields for the village.
All of which was useless to dragons, but a staple of the villagers' diet. As a reward, they had the village jeweler facet Méi’s claws. She was enamored with the beauty treatment.
Happy betrothed mate, happy home, happy Mack.
The weather was perfect, and calm. He sniffed excitement in the air. "Is it just me, or is someone really happy?"
Romayo smiled, "Someone is happy. Air Dragons can easily smell emotion because the hormones that follow fills the air."
"Dragons can smell the..." Misty said, lowering her bow and looking back at Mack.
Romayo flippantly pointed down range, "You have an arrow to put down range. No allowing distractions; that is the whole point of being a good archer in battle."
She huffed, and made a face as she tried to pull the bow back. It flipped out of her hands.
"I have you on this one," Wester said, run-skipping up with the crossbow.
"Oh thank the Holy Elementals," Misty breathed loudly and rolled her eyes as she gave the bow a kick.
"Hey," Mack said stiffening, but his smile gave away the fact that he was only pretending to be offended at her Holy Elementals comment.
"Sorry, Mack," Misty said, glancing at the ground. "I lived amongst Seculars too long."
"I have been working with this prototype. I am now at the point where I need her to try it before I can do any more tweaking," Wester said, handing Misty the crossbow. The sweet and pleasant odor of excitement he emitted, caused Mack to unconsciously wag his tail.
Misty looked at it like he just handed her a ball gown to wear mud wrestling. Mack walked over and stood next to her.
Wester smiled, "Here, I'll show you." He patted Mack's shoulder, "May I please sit for a moment to demonstrate?"
Mack nodded and bent down. Wester seemed awestruck for a split second that he was on the back of a dragon. "See this loop?" He pointed to a loop at the tip of the crossbow, "Hook it here, on the front of the lower saddle brace, and then you can use leverage to load it. You can load up to three arrows at a time." He demonstrated how to load an arrow. "Once loaded, just unhook it easily, like this." He pushed it forward. "Then point, aim, and pull the trigger." He aimed down range and nailed a practice figure on the other side of the range.
"That's amazing," Misty said, jumping up and down.
"It stores here for easy access, and will fit on either side of the saddle. Which means you can carry two if you like. You can load arrows from your quiver for now, but I am working on one that fits on the lower neck strap of the dragon's bridle. That will make it easier for rapid fire." He pointed to the various areas he’d just mentioned before climbing down, and handing the crossbow to Misty.
She took it, climbed on, and then climbed in the saddle locking herself in place. "It's lighter than I thought," she said, hooking it like Wester had shown her.
"Yes, we used Teakwood."
She cringed as she took the arrow to load it.
"No, none of that," Wester said, shaking his head. "It's a weapon; you have to have command of it. You cannot fear it, or it will hurt you instead of protect you."
Romayo nodded. "That's good advice. Is this Mack's drawing from last week?" He pointed at the crossbow.
Mack nodded, and then explained the concept of the crossbow to Romayo who looked impressed, and then looked up at Misty on his back. "Wester is right, Misty, you can't be afraid of it. That which you don't command, commands you. Be in command of the weapon, if you want it to serve you, and ultimately, me."
"I understand,” she sighed.
Mack heard her load the arrows.
“It is easy to load," she said, unhooking it, aiming it down range, and firing at the far target. She hit the outer edge of it. "Yes!" It was further than a big man could shoot with a longbow.
Romayo smiled. "Mack, next time she fires, you blow in behind it. Misty, you aim for the lined-up targets." There were targets lined up three in a row at the other far end, which was further than the target Misty had just hit. "Wester, go see if you can find Méi and Suki. And then get started on another one, the Dragon Training Dowry will compensate you. We need your shop open full time. I don't want to wait a week for stuff. I think I saw her headed to the Fire Dragon barn; something about getting into a storage closet to see if she could find anything that belonged to her uncle."
"Yes, sir," Wester said, running off toward the Fire Dragon's barn.
"Alright, you two, stop fooling around, get on with it," Romayo said, pointing to the target.
Misty smiled, nodded as she loaded the bow, then fired at the target. Mack used his dragon's breath to come in behind the arrow. It sped up tremendously, and when it struck the trees next to the target. It went through two trees.
"Wow!" Mack said, wagging his tail.
"Impressive, if Mack hadn't blown it off course," Romayo said, smiling as he looked through his telescope. "Now, let's try again, without Mack throwing off the aim."
"Sorry," he said, slumping his tail.
When he’d started training he thought it sounded like a waste of time. He needed to find the White Witch, but the more Romayo ta
ught him, the more he learned he simply wasn't ready to leave the safety of the village. When he left to find the White Witch, he needed to be in full command of his abilities. His tail horn buds were just now coming in. He didn't even know how to use tail horns. He felt like he was much younger than his nineteen years.
He had been told both he and Méi would nearly double in size over the next year as they entered the final phase into adulthood. He would have to postpone his hunt for the White Witch, and his plan to find other dragons for the moment. He simply wasn't in a position to be able to do it. He needed to finish physically growing up. He also wanted, and needed, to enjoy the last few months of being a pup. He smiled and wagged his tail hard enough to shake his rear end...on purpose.
"Easy Mack, I am a bad enough shot without the waggy–tail." Misty reloaded and fired again when he stood still. This time, she was much faster at getting ready.
Mack blew hard, trying to remain straight and even with his breath. It struck the upper right edge of the target and traveled through all three targets and the two trees behind it.
"Excellent, you almost saved us, and stopped the village from being pillaged," Romayo said, looking through his telescope. "Again. This time, in the air, at three hundred feet up, two hundred feet back. Use the lines on the training field as a point of reference. Move it back and up fifty feet at a time…Use all three shots." He pointed off into the air with his free hand.
They went through the drill four more times before Suki and Méi arrived. Luckily, the arrow went through the bull's-eye of all three targets as they flew in and landed next to Romayo on the training deck. Mack landed next to them, smiling.
"I want to try," Suki said, jumping out of the saddle.
Misty smiled as she handed over the crossbow. "It's incredible."
Suki took it and then jumped back on Méi. They took off so fast Méi's claws scratched the decking. Suki nailed the bull's-eye at the other end of the field on the first try.
"Yes!" Suki said, as they landed. "Is that the only one?" She held up the crossbow.
Romayo clapped. "Yes, but I just ordered another one. Misty, please remember to touch base with Wester on the feedback he requested."
"Will do," she said, smiling.
Suki reloaded. "It doesn't need much, it's almost perfect."
Romayo clapped his hands once. "How are we on arrows for that thing?"
"About six," Misty said, holding them up.
"I can modify these. I have a full quiver of arrows," Suki said, holding up her quiver.
"Okay, let's get going then. Mack, you first, while they sort out their arrows. Misty, get with Suki later and figure out how to do that. It's important if you start running low. You must be able to improvise, adapt, and quickly overcome, if you are to succeed as Mack’s rider."
"Yes, Trainer," Misty said. Mack could hear the smile on her face, and smell the pleasant scent of lilac she emitted when she was happy.
They continued to train for the rest of the day.
Later that night, after another village meal Méi again came to the door, "I still don't want to be alone,” she said after she dropped some palm leaves at the door. She had been sleeping in the guest dragon room for the last few nights. "I can make a bed over, over, ov..," she started crying.
"Hey, hey come in, close the door. We are betrothed to each other since I nipped your paw, and you stayed. If you need me, you enter, and say, Mack, I need you," he said, rushing over to her, and closing the door with his tail before Suki or Misty came in. Trusted riders or not, he wanted his own space, with his own mate. "We only have separate quarters because of the waiting period for our tail horns to grow in."
"I am sorry. I am not usually emotional. I just didn't realize how much I needed to be with other dragons. It's such a relief." She gently head-butted him and then nipped his paw. "I'll set up over here." She walked over to the corner with her leaves.
"Nonsense, you take the bed. I'll take the leaves," he said, smiling, as he head-butted her back.
"Why don't you sleep where you did that first night, and I sleep where I did, just with extra leaves, and then..."
He smiled and nodded, resisting the urge to finish her thought for her that she wouldn't be alone. As tough as she is, she has been alone so long that she couldn't let go of the thought of being alone to sleep.
Méi nipped his paw again. "I really do want to be with you."
"I just worry about how you'll feel if we find a handsome Fire Dragon."
Méi smiled and wrapped her tail around his. "No way. I may have helped you here, but you gave me my life back. I have only known you a week, but I can't imagine my life without you."
Mack smiled and tightened his tail. He had only to be her genuine friend to get her to like him as much as he liked her. "I'll trample the bed," he said, letting go of her as he jumped up and trampled the bed for her, and then welcomed her.
"I love you, Mack," she whispered. "Don't get any ideas.”
He smiled, "I love you too, and the only idea I have is growing old with you. We can wait for our tail horns to come in for the rest of the fun."
She nodded her approval of that plan and went to sleep.
He had expressed to Romayo he felt bad for nipping Méi's paw the first night. He couldn't explain his need to do so. Romayo had smiled and told him that is how dragons choose their mates and the fact that she stayed after he nipped her paw was a good sign, that he had not just a girlfriend, or a betrothed; she was signing up for the long haul. He said some female dragons will leave after the first nip if they don't like the smell of things. He told Mack not to worry, female dragons chose their mates, not the other way around. Males only rarely have a say in whom they marry – they are chosen, or not, based solely on whether the female wishes to stay.
He fell asleep feeling loved. He couldn't ask for a better girl to share his life with.
Attack of the Balloons
A year later;
Both Mack and Méi were dressed up in their complete battle gear. They were now full grown adults and had at least doubled in size to the height of an elephant. Their facial features showed no trace of their puppy phase. They looked sharp and pointed, with a well-defined snout, as one would expect a fully-grown dragon to have. When their tail horns grew in about six months ago, the villagers had thrown a wedding party that rivaled a Marti Gras celebration.
Three weeks ago, they shed the last of their puppy scales, then sold a few to the armor shop for a great deal of money. But, that was nothing compared to the outrageous amount the villagers had bid when they shed their horns. The jewelers had refused to give up on having a set of Mack's diamond horns and had to be individually forced out of the bidding because they ran out of money. The same thing happened when the weaponsmiths got their heads wrapped around two short swords from Méi's shed obsidian horns.
Méi flew next to him, smiling. Her demeanor had softened over the last year, and she had worked out a lot of her anger at the humans. Well, except for the Seculars, of course.
"Circling, for surveillance," Mack said, winking at her before taking off with her right behind him. As an Air Dragon, he could easily outfly her, but he always kept pace with her just enough to not offend her by flying slow.
Their orders were to circle the village and find the enemy troops hiding, which comprised of a group of giggly school children to play the part of the enemy. No attack simulation was planned here; they were simply to find the children by using only their dragon magic. Misty and Suki were to remain silent and concentrate on watching the dragon’s backs.
Four eyes are better than two, especially when two can see out the back.
"There," they both said in unison. They landed, and growled for the giggling children who shouted and played like they were scared, running around screaming and screeching. Misty and Suki laughed.
"I saw the heat from their extinguished campfire rising in the airwaves." Mack was happy, he would have been so embarrassed if he had not found it
. It’s a good thing heat moves through the air in a manner that I can see; even if they buried it under all that sand.
"And I saw the coals cooling under the dirt, where they had just put the fire out. Back to the range for the practice attack," Méi said, jumping up, and circling back toward the grounds.
Mack offered one more growl for the children before following her. He heard them cheering as he flew off.
Romayo stood in an observation tower on Blue Valley's main dragon training grounds. He and Méi now circled overhead. "Archery," he bellowed into a large horn to amplify his voice. He pointed a red flag to the west and a blue flag to the east to indicate which targets to attack.
"I'm ready, Mack." Misty no longer had trouble with archery. The crossbow had been a miracle for her, and she was deadly with the dragon's lance that Mack and Wester had fashioned into a harpoon.
He focused in and flew in straight toward the new training dummies he had Wester’s shop make. The blue side had fake trees with dummy-archers in them, and a line of dummy knights on wooden-horseback. Mack was to clear the trees while Misty used her bow and arrows to strike at the dummies. The trees came down easily with category five winds, and Misty nailed all seven dummies with arrows and a knight on the horse with her lance.
He and Misty looked down toward the red side. "Looks like they have it handled," she said, stowing her crossbow on the saddle. Mack nodded in agreement.
The fake trees were on fire, and Suki nailed all seven stick men in what would have been their hearts. She was an extraordinary archer, on and off of Méi. She was also making a healthy living selling bow tutoring lessons to the villagers, who were snapping up Wester's Makani-Crossbows as soon as he could have them manufactured. He even made a horse mounted one for some of the village knights.
Mack smiled, glad that Wester's shop was thriving. The entire village square seemed revitalized. Another wonderful thing was that the villagers were having more children. A record two hundred couples had babies in the last four months. Happiness and prosperity were returning to Blue Valley.