Kingdom of Dragons

by Anna St George

  Am hanner nos yn yr eglwys gadeiriol Drwy eich hun/At midnight, at the cathedral, by yourself.

  Gwen paused on the stairway and grabbed Trystan’s arm. “What did Lord Wylde just say?” she whispered.

  “Umm, I think he said he wants to see Pryderi, alone.”

  “What! Where?”

  “I’m not sure where. My Welsh isn’t that good.”

  It was all Gwen could think of as they headed for their rooms upstairs and least they were warm and had full stomachs and Pryderi caught up to her and smiled and Gwen smiled back sweetly but she was determined to know why Lord Wylde wanted to see him so urgently. Did it have something to do with the state of the kingdom and the supposed return of King Edward? She didn’t know but she would find out. Pryderi smiled and whispered to Gwen as they walked along the halls. “What did you think of old Lord Wylde?”

  “Well, he’s a sweet old man but fine breeding, honestly? He made me feel like a horse and what a tragic tale of love and woe. I can’t imagine how he’s endured it. I guess that’s why he came back here and lives like a hermit.”

  “Yes not everyone is blessed with the love of their choice.”

  Gwen nodded in agreement and just as the housekeeper opened the chamber door to a lovely room. “For you mi’lady. Gwen was relieved as she walked through the threshold of what was a beautiful lady’s chamber that was opposite Pryderi and Trystan. She was extremely tired now and longed for the comfort of the large four poster bed that was made of thick wood and had a rose pattern carved into it. The coverings were dark and spun with gold thread and there was a window seat with a leadlight window and the stained glass was a lovely lady with a rose in her hand. And Gwen hopped into the large four poster bed and tried to go to sleep.

  Pryderi and Trystan were across the hall, and they both hopped in the beds and blew out the lantern and Pryderi lie there awake waiting to hear Trystan snoring and after the first rumble he hopped out of the bed and pulled his boots on and grabbed his coat and left the room and Trystan was quickly to his feet as well and quietly followed him.

  Gwen heard the footsteps and she moved to the door and opened it gently and she saw Pryderi and Wylde walking down the hall together. Then she glanced across the hall and saw Trystan standing in the doorway. “Where do you suppose they’ve gone?” Gwen whispered.

  “I don’t know,” he whispered. “I’m gonna go find out,” said Trystan and Gwen moved out of her room. “I’m coming with you.”

  “I can’t let you come Gwen. Pryderi will kill me.”

  “Well I want to know what is so important that Lord Wylde couldn’t say in front of us. I wonder what he’s hiding.”

  “Oh, alright,” he sighed. “Be very quiet.”

  They moved along the halls and followed the voices of Pryderi and Lord Wylde down a maze of hallways like Berwyck and finally they ended up in a room that had picturesque lancet windows from ceiling to floor of which a quarter moon was now shining through. It was large and open like a cathedral and there was a table in the middle and a large dark grey fireplace that was burning away softly. The flames of several candles were burning brightly and there were books piled up everywhere; on the floor and on the table on the window ledges and on shelves and it reminded Gwen of the library at Berwyck. And Gwen noticed a cabinet with interesting glass bottles of various colours and crockery and strange looking ointments and it was almost like an apothecary’s room or even that of some strange philosopher and she wondered what on earth Lord Wylde did in this room. It looked like he’d been doing some kind of research with all the books. Perhaps he was practising magic as Trystan said earlier.

  “Well,” said Pryderi. “You didn’t call me all the way from Caenarfon for nothing.”

  “No, I did not and what I have to tell you must not be repeated, to anyone. Is that clear?”

  “Of course, sir. You have my word and honour as a Prince of Gwynedd.”

  “Good, I knew I could trust you.”

  Lord Wylde was silently thinking and then he started to speak but stopped and then he paced to the other side of the room and was thinking again and he turned and looked at Pryderi and Gwen could tell his eyes held a secret burden that he had carried for a long time on his own. Then he moved from the spot and paced to another area and Pryderi watched him in bewilderment. “Please sir, you know you can trust me. Have I ever let you down?”

  “No, you haven’t, but what about your friends?” Wylde turned around and looked directly in the direction of where Trystan and Gwen were hiding by the door. “You can come out of hiding now. I’ saw your shadows cast upon the stone floor.”

  “What?” said Pryderi.

  “It’s us,” said Gwen stepping out of the shadows and Trystan followed.

  “What the hell are you doing!” said Pryderi. “I thought you were in bed?”

  “I couldn’t sleep.”

  “Nor could I,” said Trystan.

  Wylde sighed. “We’ll have to take them into confidence. Can they be trusted?”

  “They’ll be fine,” said Pryderi. “Your secret will be safe with us. I assure you.”

  “Of course, sir,” said Gwen. “But may I ask you a question?”

  “Anything for you lovely lady, ask away.”

  “Well, what sort of room is this? It’s full of strange looking ointments and unusual things. Are you . . . .are you a wizard? Are you practising magic?”

  There was extreme silence for a moment and Gwen sighed nervously for the serious glow in Lord Wylde’s eyes terrified her. “A wizard? Magic?” Then all of a sudden he laughed with delight. “No my dear, I’m not a wizard. I wish I was. I would conjure up a spell to erase the Duke of Redfort and all of his wicked followers. What you see here is . . .” And he looked around the room and Gwen thought she saw a tear in his eyes and he sighed deeply and spoke again. “What you see here is my life work. This is years and years of study and research. Yes, some people have branded me crazy, a wizard. But I am filled with passion for studying the unknown. I asked lots of questions as a young boy. Why are there so many stars in the sky at night? Why do people get sick and some don’t? Why do we have different seasons? Why does a bird take flight? I’ve always asked questions with a strong desire to know more and I’ve studied many plants and animals and people and some of these books are filled with my studies and findings; my life work to pass on to someone else with a curious mind when I’m gone”

  “That’s fascinating,” said Gwen.

  “Well then,” said Lord Wylde as he glanced at each one with a whimsical glow. “Let me tell you a tale. Take a seat for this is an ancient story and it may take a while.”

  Gwen nervously dropped into the chair beside her and Trystan and Pryderi sat down as well and Lord Wylde began his strange tale.

  “Many centuries ago there was once a poor young farm boy by the name of Ewan. He lived in these parts and grew up here. He worked hard every day helping his father tend the sheep but he dreamed of being a knight like one of King Arthur’s knights for his fame had spread throughout the land. And one day he told his father he was going to leave and become one of Arthur’s knights so he could earn lots of gold and buy the land they farmed which was owned by an unscrupulous war lord.

  So he set out with only the clothes on his back and headed for Arthur’s kingdom. Along the way he had many adventures and journey’s which are written in many of these books you see and I’ve been busy putting the accounts of his life in order. Anyway he travelled to King Arthur’s court and he told him he wanted to be a knight and well Arthur told him that he would have to slay the dragon who dwelt in a cave at an ancient town called Elgon in south west Wales. Well he wanted nothing more than to be this victorious knight so he went away from there and vowed he would kill this dragon. So he set out to the cave of Elgon and waited. He thought if he caught the dragon by surprise he could slay it easily. And dragons are not easy creatures to overcome. They’re large and fearless. He waited several days and nothing happened, there was
no dragon that appeared and he was about to give up and go home when suddenly something happened. The ground began to shake and there was this loud roaring, hissing noise of something ungodly coming from the cave and then he saw steam rising off the ground and he looked up and there it was. The most unbelievable creature he had ever seen and it was standing by the cave. Now he had an advantage over this creature because it didn’t know he was there. And even though he hurled the first shot with his arrow the creature didn’t go without a fight and they fought a fierce battle with weapons and fire and dragons have skin as thick as several layers of armour and long claws and rows of teeth but in spite of all these obstacles, Ewan slew the dragon. It fell to the ground wounded with a great thud and he stood over it in victory and people were cheering and he cut out one of the dragon’s claws and took it back to King Arthur. Arthur knighted him and gave him this castle and the title of the Earl of Dinefwr.”

  “One of your ancestors?” asked Trystan.

  “Yes,” he replied.

  “What an imaginative tale,’ said Gwen.

  “It’s not just a tale, Lady Gwendolyn,” said Lord Wylde. “But what I told you is exactly what was told to King Arthur and his knights but the rumour that spread said that he didn’t kill the dragon at all but that he spared it with pity for it was a helpless creature with a young dragon and a mate and that they were among a small handful left in the Isles as they had all been slain by man. The legend says he took the dragons to a series of caves underneath Dinefwr where they live to this very day.”

  “You expect us to believe that you have three dragons here at Dinefwr?” asked Pryderi sceptically.

  “No, I don’t expect you to believe it at all but that is the legend that has been passed down in my family.”

  “That is just nonsense!” said Pryderi. “You don’t believe in dragons do you?”

  “The chronicle of the Anglo Saxons mentions fiery dragons,” said Gwen. “I read it one day when I was with Merry in the library at Berwyck.”

  “Well what about the description of one in the Holy Scripture?” Lord Wylde challenged.

  “In the Holy Scripture?” asked Gwen.

  “Yes,” said Lord Wylde with confidence. Wylde smiled and pulled a large old book off the shelf. It looked like one of the books that Merry and Carwyn had been restoring in the library. It was covered in gold work and precious gems and Wylde dusted the cover carefully. “Listen to this, dragon skeptics.” Gold edged pages glimmered in the candle light as he opened the thickly bound book carefully and fingered through its parched pages and finally he grinned and began reading.

  His sneezing flashes out light. His eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.

  Out of his mouth go burning torches. Sparks of fire leap out.

  Out of his nostrils a smoke goes, as of a boiling pot over a fire of reeds.

  His breath kindles coals. A flame goes out of his mouth.

  There is strength in his neck. Terror dances before him.

  The flakes of his flesh are joined together. They are firm on him. They can’t be moved.

  Gwen was mesmerized by what the scripture said as it certainly sounded like the description of a dragon but Pryderi was still not convinced. “Interesting,” said Pryderi. “But that doesn’t prove that dragons exist. And how do you know the writer is speaking of a dragon. It doesn’t actually say dragon.”

  “I repeat, Out of his mouth go burning torches. Sparks of fire leap out. Out of his nostrils a smoke goes, as of a boiling pot over a fire of reeds. His breath kindles coals. A flame goes out of his mouth.”

  “It’s you know . . . symbolic,” said Trystan with a smile. He remembered something from learning poetry.

  “Yes,” said Pryderi agreeing with his friend. “It’s symbolic.”

  “Symbolic? Is it indeed?” said Lord Wylde with a strange sparkle in his eyes. “Come, and follow me,” said Wylde. “And you can judge for yourselves the symbolism of what I will show you.”

  “Follow you where?” asked Pryderi.

  “Do you mean go down into the caves?” said Gwen with some trepidation in her eyes.

  “Unless you are afraid. It is not a sight for the fainthearted, I assure you.”

  There was a moment of silence and the three friends glanced at each other and back at Lord Wylde. “Lead the way sir,” said Pryderi. “I am not afraid Sir.”

  “Good,” said Wylde.

  “When?” asked Pryderi.

  “Now, would be a good time. It’s nearly one am. What I have to show you must remain a secret and secrets are best kept in the dark,” he said in a mysterious tone as he grabbed a lantern on the table and they followed him out of the room and down a hall towards the back of the castle. “Come dear friends and I’ll show you thousands of years of mystery and legend living beneath this very castle.”

  They followed along in the darkness and none of them said a word. It was dreadfully silent and Gwen had never noticed any castle so silent for even in the night at Berwyck it was always busy with her father’s men coming and going and there were always giant torches lit outside for evening light but it seems Dinefwr was like an abandoned ghost town at night. The caretaker, housekeeper and cook had all gone to bed and the stable master had a room above the stables. It was as silent and as dark as a graveyard and Gwen’s heart was pounding with fear. She had no idea as to what Lord Wylde was going to show them. A dragon? Surely not. They only existed in legends and faerie tales. However the ancient tales of Britain spoke of them and even the Holy Scripture giving a description of some ancient creature.

  When they reached the back of the castle they went through an arched doorway that led into the chapel and at night it was dark and eerie and the only light was from the small lantern that Lord Wylde held in his wiry hand. Gwen was surprised as she thought Lord Wylde would have taken them out a back door and into the forest to a cave but he did not and even Pryderi looked puzzled. “Where are we going?” he asked.

  “I told you already. Just be patient.”

  They continued walking through the chapel and to a back room and through another very solid doorway and Gwen noticed the thickness of the wood. It was the sort of door one would use for protection when you didn’t want someone or something to get out but in this case perhaps Wylde didn’t want something to get in! They carried on down a narrow staircase that led directly below and Gwen pulled her cloak firmly up around and said a quiet prayer. When they reached the bottom of the stairs they were in a wide open space with vaulted ceilings and she suddenly realized they were in the family crypt. “This is the older family crypt built by my early ancestors,” said Wylde. Gwen cringed. She hated going into crypts as it gave her the creeps and this one was no different with it’s cold stone feeling. And she saw the memorials of several of the past Earls of Dinefwr with plaques and statues and several old coffins covered with sold stone slabs and she suddenly felt scared and grabbed Pryderi’s hand. “It’s all right Gwen. I’ll protect you,” he smiled.

  She managed a weak smile as they moved hand in hand through the crypt and it was dusty and full of cobwebs and the air was stale. And Gwen covered her mouth to keep from coughing. They moved through the crypt and through another doorway leading to yet another passageway and Lord Wylde and Pryderi pulled a grate from the wall and motioned for them to follow. It was very dark and damp and slippery and they moved along slowly over a stony path surrounded in solid granite walls and finally came to a steep stairwell moving down deeper below the castle and Gwen wondered where they were? It was cold and damp with solid rocks everywhere and large crystal formations hanging from the roof of the enclosure and there was soft running stream that went through the middle. She looked around cautiously but there was nothing in sight and all she could see was Pryderi’s eyes glowing in the soft flame of the lantern. Lord Wylde stopped and there was a faint light in the distance. “This is it,” he said and Gwen looked around nervously.

  “Where are we?” asked Pryderi.

  “Below
the castle. Be very quiet and still. If anything goes wrong hiding behind the rocks will save you. Make a dash for the stairway as quickly as you can and seal the door.

  “What?” asked Pryderi. “What do you mean?”

  “Sshhh,” said Wylde. “Don’t make a sound and for goodness sake don’t move.” And he moved from his spot slowly and walked towards the stream and Gwen looked at Pryderi strangely and it was then Gwen sensed a sudden movement in the cave as if someone or some thing was moving. It was like steps but it was heavy and loud and Gwen looked around nervously but could not see anything. “What is that?” she whispered to Pryderi.

  “Ble wyt ti. Peidiwch â bod ofn. Mae'n eich ffrind, Elidir.”

  “What did he say?” asked Gwen.

  “He said, Where are you? Don’t be afraid. It is your friend, Elidir.”

  “Oh,” said Gwen and at that moment Lord Wylde moved forward and lit a few torches that were perched on the rocks in the cave and suddenly it came into view peering from around the rocks.

  It was a scaly creature, a terrifying creature! It was covered in scales from head to foot and had two piercing, eyes and large fangs like daggers hanging from its mouth. When it breathed it made a rumbling noise and steam came from its nostrils. And Gwen stood as frozen as a statue for a moment and she glanced at Pryderi and Trystan who looked as stunned as her. It was in the sheer shock of the moment that Trystan rested his hand on the rock wall beside him and put his hand right onto a spider. He gasped loudly. “Ahhh!” The creature was startled and turned from side to side and when it saw the three of them standing several meters behind Wylde it roared and Wylde turned and yelled. “Run! Now!” They all turned and moved for the nearest large boulder and a blast of heat and flames came forth. Wylde was knocked to the ground and Gwen could hear the creatures thumping feet moving on the ground and the loud swishing noise of its long tail.

  They moved around the rocks to keep concealment and every now and again the area would light up with flames and a roar that was most terrifying and Pryderi looked at Trystan angrily. “Did you have to yell out?”