by Marie Daye
Eskil brushed his snout against her again, “Calm down beloved, it’s over. He cannot hurt you, never again.”
She wiped away her tears, “I know. I… I'm just scared. I thought I had lost you.”
The deep rumble of his throaty laugh radiated into her, and he momentarily glanced away at the manor that was now completely engulfed in flames. The rain was now a light trickle, and the sun was beginning to peak over the eastern mountains. His hot breath warmed her skin.
“Libelle, someone is bound to see the flames and come looking. We should leave.”
She nodded at him looking around, “I can't.” She whispered after a moment's hesitation.
“Why? Beloved, we will be in danger if we stay here.”
Libelle stared into his large, burning eyes. “Eskil, I have to stay here. Like you said, someone is going to see the smoke from the fire. Then the guards will undoubtedly come looking to see the cause of it. I, I have to stay to tell them what happened. I need to explain what happened between Gaalin and Ingrid… I don't want them to think you did it any longer.”
His mouth parted with a sigh. “I cannot leave you here, not alone.”
“Eskil, if the guards arrive and see you as you are… They will immediately blame you, they'll try to kill you.” Her palm rested between his flaring nostrils. “When they arrive, I’ll just tell them what happened. Gaalin lost his mind, he killed Ingrid and he tried to kill us.”
“What if they don’t believe you?”
She smiled weakly, “They have to, and I’m the slayer in this land.”
He shifted his weight on his wings, “I don't feel right leaving you here. You cannot even walk.”
“I’ll stay here, I’ll focus my power and heal myself. After the guards leave, I’ll find you.”
He growled, he wanted to refuse but she made sense. If they both fled now, the mortals would stop at nothing to hunt them down. He would be accused of another murder, and she would be accused of allowing the murderer to go free. However, could he really just leave her here? It took every ounce of strength he had within his enormous body to agree to her idea.
His tongue flicked out against her cheek, “I won’t be far, call out to me if you need me.”
She shook her head, “Go to the temple with the priests, and wait for me there.”
“Libelle, if I fly that far away and you need me… I’ll be too far away to reach in in time, if something were to happen.”
“Nothing will happen, I promise. Go, before anyone can see you in the sky.”
Eskil’s thick lips curled over his long teeth, his eyes clenching shut in frustration before he spread his wings and pushed himself up into the air. He slowly raised himself up into the sky, looking back down at Libelle who smiled back at him.
Be careful, beloved. He called out to her.
Libelle watched him fly off towards the east, his massive body disappearing into the brightening sky. She sighed, staring at the burning manor she once called home; she no longer had desire to enter the building, as it now harbored ill memories. The thick fog that raised into the sky was a clear signal to her location, and it was only a matter of time before the guards from Edinburgh came riding to her location.
She looked down at her legs, dark bruises engulfed her ankles and throbbing pain radiated into her calves. She had to focus on her magic within her body so she could begin to heal her injuries, thanking the divines that her abilities were even possible. While she focused her racial magic, she breathed slowly, deciding she needed to try to rest before the guards arrived.
The howling wind wrapping around his black form, Eskil lowered himself onto the snowy peaks of the mountain where the temple called Uppsala resided. Vegeir, his brother, tensed at his arrival and eyed him wearily. He was unsure of the outcome of his arrival, and seemed to be preparing for the worst.
Eskil chuckled, “Calm yourself brother, I am not here for a fight today.”
Vegeir shifted his weight, “I see that the curse has been broken, may I ask how that happened?” His eyes widened when Eskil chuckled. “What have you done to the slayer?”
Eskil glared at his younger brother, “You don’t need to worry about her.”
Vegeir climbed down from his perch, “Is she harmed?”
“No. She is very well.”
He didn't believe him, Vegeir was worried about his little female slayer who had proved to be an excellent ally of his. If his brother’s true form had been taken back, the curse was broken and he should be able to harm a mortal again. Libelle could be in grave danger now, where was she?
Eskil chuckled. “Brother, I should really say thank you.”
“For what?”
“If you hadn't gotten involved with her, encouraged her to seek out the curse. I never would have found my lifemate.”
Vegeir inhaled sharply. “Your lifemate? Who?”
Eskil smirked, “Who do you think?”
“It’s not possible. Libelle? The slayer?”
Eskil nodded. “She’ll be joining us here shortly.”
Vegeir couldn't believe his ears, his elder brother had finally found his lifemate? The fact that his lifemate was a dragon slayer, it just didn't seem possible. However, his brother’s curse was broken and looked happier than ever before.
“If you're wondering how the curse was broken, I honestly don't know. I was protecting her from a lunatic, then it just happened.” He sighed, “She wants me to wait for her here.”
Vegeir tilted his head, “Why is she not with you?”
His brother’s pearly white teeth glimmered with his smile. “She is clearing up a murder.”
“You didn’t?!” Vegeir gasped.
Eskil laughed, “No, I didn't.”
He smiled to himself, staring into the clouds as he reached his mind out to Libelle. Beloved, I am here.
Her mind reached out to his soon after, “I’ll be there soon my love.”
Libelle rested against the wall of the stable, staring at the tree line where she heard thundering hooves galloping in her direction. The manor was nearly a pile of ash now, only a few thick beams stood erect while the cobblestone framed the edges of the home. All of her belongings erupted in the flames, she practically had nothing left to her name.
She heard voices shouting. “Search everywhere!” and “Look for the dragon slayer!” Several men came running around the burning rubble, stumbling across Gaalin’s halved corpse with surprise and disgust.
“Isn't this that dark elf the dragon slayers servant?”
“I think so, what could have happened here?”
Libelle pushed herself to her feet, and stumbled out of the stables towards the men. Her appearance surprised them and they aimed their crossbows at her.
“Stop where you are woman!” They barked at her.
She sighed, she was too tired for this. Standing where she was she raised her arms up to them. “My name is Libelle, I'm the lord to this manor.”
The men looked about one another. “You lie wench! This stead belongs to the dragon slayer, ally of Edinburgh.”
She rolled her eyes at them. “I have information about the murder in Edinburgh, of the young girl.”
One of the guards walked up to her, his long stride covering a lot of ground in a short time. He stopped in front of her, glaring suspiciously at her.
“Who are you really?” He asked.
“Libelle, I am the slayer.” She snorted when they called her a liar.
“Lies! The dragon slayer is a man! He stands nearly seven feet tall and is as strong as an ox!”
“You've never met the slayer have you? This manor is my home, that corpse there belonged to my retainer Gaalin.”
They all looked at his mutilated body.
“What happened here?” The guard closest to her asked.
“That man there is the one responsible for Ingrid’s death. When confronted, he lashed out and brutally beat the man I've been keeping under the King’s and priests order. He tried to kill h
im, then tried to harm me. He was slain in self-defense.”
The men all looked over the land, there was a home burnt to ash. A corpse split in two. Large prints in the ground. Her story just didn't sound believable. One of the other guards approached her.
“Why should we believe you wench? What's to say you didn't kill him and burn down the house?”
Her icy eyes turned cold. “I gladly would have taken that bastards life, but sadly that trophy wasn't mind to take.”
They murmured with one another, and the guard standing by her side spoke again. “There is nothing we can do here. You'll come with us to Edinburgh, there you can prove if your story is true.”
He tried to grab her arm when another guard approached with shackles. “How is if I am supposed to prove my innocence?”
The man chuckled. “Well, if you’re the mighty slayer, it won't be too hard.” He reached for her arm again, and when she jerked away he cursed at her. His fist flying straight for her face, and she was too exhausted to evade it.
Her head lurched back, blood spilling from her nose. She hissed, “Bastard!”
The men didn't believe she was the slayer, their own fantasies about a fictional character clouded their judgement. For once she actually regretted never revealing her true identity to the world. Two of the guards pounced on her, pinning her to the ground. They smirked down at her, and one guard spoke.
“She's a pretty one, we could have some fun before heading back.” His dirt covered hand rubbed her calf and stroking upwards towards her inner thigh.
“She looks like she would put up quite a bit of struggle.” Another smirked. “Hold her down.”
Three men pinned her down in the mud, and her fears came rushing out of her like a hurricane. She snarled, trying to pull away but her strength faltered. The men laughed at her, watching her struggle as they determined who could go first. The guard who had stood closest to her, turned and smiled at her, unlatching his belt as he approached.
Libelle’s lip curled over her teeth, she took a deep breath and focused her magic into her palms. Sending a ball of fire at the men. The force of her attack sent the men sailing through the air, landing several feet away from her. The guard holding her hands above her wrists paled when she glared at him, and released her and she stood up, running as fast as she could from the scene.
“After her!” One yelled.
“You imbecile, that's the dragon slayer!”
“Exactly! And if word gets out that we tried to fuck her, whose heads will be on the block!?”
They all realized the same thing and took off after Libelle, she was running through the trees as fast as she could. Her legs throbbing in pain as her magic had only relieved enough pain so she could tolerate walking. She looked up into the skies, knowing her mind could reach Eskil but there was no way he could reach her in time to save her from these men.
An arrow flew by her head, nearly taking her ear with it as it passed. She spun around and saw the guards chasing her, their weapons drawn and they had the intention to kill her. Discard the evidence versus admitting your own mistake, lovely. She thought. More arrows were notched in the bows, and the men released them into the air.
She tried to run faster, to evade them, but it wasn't as successful as she thought it would have been. One arrow pierced her shoulder, and with the pain she heard Eskil’s roar within her mind.
“Beloved, where are you?” He asked.
Running. The guards didn't believe me, they want to pin me as a murder suspect.
“Run, I'm coming back for you.”
She listened, she knew stopping meant death but how was he to reach her in time? Her muscles were already fatigued and she wanted to collapse. There was only one thing she could think of, if her body would fair her, she wouldn't let her voice do the same.
She screamed as an arrow head ripped through the back of her calf and she collapsed to the ground. She had to take action, now. Her ancient companions were the only thing that could save her, and knowing if she called out to them, they would answer. She shielded herself with her magic, granting herself a few moments of safety from the guard’s attacks.
“Theron! Berodach! Aid me in my time of need!”
Their presence flooded hers, and the sensation of their minds meeting hers struck her like a boulder rolling down a mountainside. “Dragon slayer, you call for us?” Berodach asked.
“I need your help!”
She knew it sounded strange to anyone who did now know her scaled friends. However Berodach was almost as old as Vegeir and Eskil, a unique individual who had the ability to travel through time and space. The immortal creature could bend the worlds will and shift to new locations, a gift granted by the gods favor.
Berodach chuckled, and Libelle’s energy felt sapped, she wanted to succumb to the feeling of exhaustion, the feeling that she may just lose consciousness. However, she forced herself to stand up and back away as thick, pungent white clouds of energy swirled around in front of her.
Berodach’s body formed in front of her, his earthy colored scales glistening.
"Libelle." He said, his voice throaty sounding. "Why have you called for me?"
Libelle gritted her teeth while she ripped the arrow from her leg, "I need your help. Stop them."
His green scaled body turned towards the advancing guards. He chuckled, and the guards froze for a moment, then they screamed and charged forward. Berodach roared as well, with his roar a blaze of flame burst from his mouth and engulfed the soil in front of him.
"Go slayer, I will hold them off for you." He growled. “Theron is on his way, the skies guide him.”
Libelle nodded, running from the battle she would typically dive into. She ran north, to the sharp cliffs that led to a straight fall to the lake hundreds of feet below it. She cried out again when an arrow embedded itself in her lower back, and glancing over her shoulder she saw that one of the guards had mounted a horse and was galloping after her, while Berodach chased after him. She only had a little bit further to run, she could see the light of the forest’s edge, and she just had to reach the edge of the trees.
The guard past her on his horse, cracking his sheathed sword over her back. She tripped, stumbling forward, but she kept on running. He cursed, slowing his horse to turn back around and charge towards her again. She crashed through the tree line, skidding to a halt at the edge of the cliffs. Her bare feet tickling the edge of the rocks, small pebbles falling over the ledge while she stood frozen in place.
The guard burst through the trees after her, stopping his horse and smirking at her while he dismounted. He drew his sword, walking up to her slowly, as if he were approaching a wild animal.
"You put up quite the fight lass," He snickered. "-but I can’t have you spouting off nonsense to the king, can I?"
Libelle had nowhere to go, to her back was the edge of the cliff; to her front was a bastard with a sword, and in the distance was a dragon's roar. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and holding it, the moment felt like an eternity. Libelle lept backwards into the air, and she fell through the sky towards most certain death. The guard stared down at her in disbelief, shouting out unintelligible curses as she fell.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Libelle fell through the sky, her eyes clenched shut and her breath trapped in her lungs while she fought the urge to scream. This was a stupid move, she told herself. The jagged rocks at the base of the cliff drawing closer and closer, why did she decide to jump?
"Slayer!"
Libelle opened her eyes at the familiar voice that called out to her, she smiled wide when the red scaled dragon sped towards her. "Theron!"
She cried out to him, her voice trailing throughout the air as she rolled over mid-fall. Her old ally sped towards her, his massive wings clamping down around his body as he dove after her. His massive body fell beneath hers and she landed harshly against his back. He stretched his wings and turned upwards towards the sky before they crashed into the ground, Libelle p
anting and clinging to his dorsal spines.
"Caught you." He chuckled, his fiery scales glowing with the suns reflection.
Libelle sighed in relief, positioning herself better on his back to look over her shoulder. Erupting from the trees was Berodach, the dragon's body soaring into the sky and towards her. She called out to him, and he roared in response. He reached them as Theron circled in the air, and his yellow fangs were revealed as he scowled at her.
"You are wounded Libelle." Berodach said. "I can smell your blood."
She nodded, "Take me to Uppsala, the priests there can help me."
"There?" Theron asked while he flew in the direction of the highest peaks of the mountains. "Your wounds are grave slayer, will you make it?"
She clung to his back, "I'll try."
Her unlikely friends had quickly come to her aid, and she owed them so much for saving her life. The cold wind stung at her skin as the trio rose into the clouds towards the snowy peaks, and her scaled companions glanced at her with worry. Blood from her wounds stained the fiery scales of Theron's hide, the intoxicating smell of it stinging their nostrils. The determined expression on her face had vanished and now she looked as pale as a ghost.
Berodach called out to his kin, "She's losing consciousness. Where is it she wants us to take her?"
"There is a temple at the top of that mountain, it is a place the gods frequent." Theron turned his head to speak to her. "Hold on little slayer, I will go faster."
She bit her lip shivering, trying to form coherent thoughts for Eskil to hear, but she could hardly focus on her trembling hand tangled around the spine protruding from Theron's back. She wanted to be with Eskil, that's all she could think. The temple was coming into view, and Libelle tried to look up. The heaviness she felt in her head made it painful to do so, blood loss was making her dizzy.