Fire Rider

by T M Miller

  ‘Well, it’s easier said than done, I would imagine,’ Jaron sought to make this strange girl feel better and this time she did smile.

  ‘My mother is a firedrake rider, and a member of the council; she doesn’t pressure me but it would make her so proud if I can win a firedrake for myself.’ She stared at him. ‘I don’t think you will have any trouble.’

  ‘Me?’ Jaron stared at her. ‘Oh, I might have flown in on Madrag, but C– Lord Carna was telling me what to do. I was terrified most of the time,’ he admitted. To his surprise a small white hand came to rest on his.

  ‘You have great heart,’ she looked directly into his eyes so he found he couldn’t look away. ‘And you’re brave to face your fears, the firedrake for you will see this.’ Jaron stared at her and Haley dropped her hand and stood up. ‘I’ve said too much, you’ll think me strange. Like they all do,’ she nodded to the group watching Marla flying.

  Jaron stood too. ‘Oh no,’ he said, anxious to relieve her discomfort. ‘I was just surprised, that’s all.’

  Haley smiled at him. ‘You are kind. I’ll leave you in peace.’ With that she turned and ran over to re-join the group. Jaron stared after her. So, you had to win your firedrake. Well, he wasn’t sure he wanted one anyhow so at least it sounded like he could make his own decision in this. It had been bothering him Carna could somehow force him to accept a firedrake as his own just as he had left him no real choice in attending flying school.

  ‘Marla, not too fast, remember what I said about slowing down a bit,’ Parl’s call caused Jaron to look up in time to see Channon flapping madly as she tried to regain her balance. Next moment she had reared up in the air and dislodged her rider. Marla, arms flailing, rolled over Channon’s rump and went out the back door. Jaron gasped and stood up. There was a huge splash as she fell into the lake. Jaron hurried over to the group, his tiredness forgotten. To his relief Marla resurfaced, blowing out a plume of water.

  Tench was roaring with laughter. ‘Serves you right for showing off!’ he called to her.

  ‘And of course, that’s something you never do,’ Wolf was standing right behind Tench who whipped round and frowned at him. ‘Shut up, Dog!’ Wolf leered at him and Tench squared his shoulders and took a threatening step towards the lean dark-haired boy. They were the same height nose to nose but Tench was by far the stronger looking. Jaron looked over at Parl but the teacher was busy berating Marla as she trudged, sodden, out of the lake, her face so red it matched the long tendrils of dripping hair that fell over her shoulders from beneath her helmet. ‘Marla, how often have I told you to always clip yourself to the saddle?’ Jaron eyed the two posturing boys warily.

  Racker came to stand beside Jaron as Channon landed by the lake. ‘There they go again.’

  ‘They often do this?’

  Racker smiled happily. ‘Oh yes, they hate each other, something to do with Wolf’s sister, I believe.’

  Wolf’s lips were moving. Jaron couldn’t hear what was said but it was enough for Tench to let out a roar of anger, step back and swung a punch at the other boy.

  Wolf’s reflexes were incredibly fast as he jumped aside. Tench’s punch, devoid of its target and going full swing, unbalanced the bigger boy who nearly fell over. Wolf howled with laughter. Tench’s face turned puce with rage and he turned and launched himself at the lank-haired youth, fingers reaching. Haley squealed but again Wolf sidestepped the charge and Tench went barrelling past him towards Hodge, who moved forward with a speed that belied his size in time to catch Tench by the back of his jacket as the youth turned to attack again.

  ‘Lemme go, Hodge!’ Tench was flailing and kicking to get free. ‘Let me get him, the slimy little…’

  ‘Boys!’ Parl had seen what was happening at last. ‘Stop that at once! I will not have fighting in my classes. Tench, Wolf, any more of that and you’ll both be suspended.’ He fixed the boys with a hard stare. Tench glowered at Wolf who crossed his arms and smiled back, apparently unfazed by the whole episode. ‘Marla, go and get dried off. I’ve had enough of you all, class is dismissed for today.’

  Relieved, Jaron turned to leave with the others, then hesitated, his eyes on where Mount Scarf rose up at the far end of the valley. He thought he could just see his cave in the second from top row.

  ‘Jaron,’ Parl called. ‘I can give you a lift back up.’

  Marla turned, excited on hearing this. ‘Let me, sir, please sir.’

  But the old teacher shook his head. ‘You know you can’t do that, Marla. Students are not allowed to fly alone and especially not be in charge of a passenger’s safety.’ Shoulders slumped again, Marla turned and squelched after the departing group. Parl turned to Jaron. ‘Now, Jaron, I want you to do some mounting and dismounting for me. We might take this opportunity to give you a little bit of extra tuition to catch up.’

  With a sigh of resignation Jaron tried to ignore his heart as it juddered in his chest and followed Parl. His limp was worse now he was so tired and he felt grateful the other students had left. Reluctantly he made his way over to Channon who was drinking at the edge of the lake. She lifted a dripping snout and turned her head towards him as he approached. Jaron dropped his eyes on reflex, wishing he could get up the courage to send a mental wave of reassurance to the great beast as he used to with Caliber. When he raised his eyes again it was to see Parl nod in approval before gesturing him closer.

  Channon was smaller than Madrag but Jaron eyed the big beast warily. When he was standing at Parl’s shoulder the teacher tapped the firedrake’s leg. She lifted it. He made Jaron tap her behind the knee to lower it. And another tap on its side to lift back up. ‘Now, step on to her leg, hold on to her shoulder, there at the ridge, and pull yourself up.’

  Parl was not standing at Channon’s head but after daring to give her a quick pat to warn her Jaron stepped up and put his fingers in the scaly ridge that ran from the neck to the shoulder and used it to pull himself higher. He swung his leg over much as he would have when mounting Caliber and settled himself slowly down into the double-seated saddle, relieved to have stirrups this time.

  An eye looked back at him. ‘Good girl,’ he muttered. To his relief, Parl swung himself up behind him.

  ‘Where’s your safety belt?’

  ‘Uh, I don’t have one, sir.’

  Parl sighed. ‘Trust Lord Carna, it wouldn’t have occurred to him, of course.’

  Jaron looked back at the teacher. ‘Did you teach him, sir?’

  ‘Yes, reckless young thing he was, too brave for his own good sometimes. Still, turned out very well, easier than–’ he stopped, coughed. ‘Well, off you go.’ The old man sat back.

  ‘Um, I haven’t flown from the ground before, sir.’

  ‘Nudge with your heels and she’ll jump.’

  Jump? Not liking the sound of that, Jaron tentatively nudged. In answer, Channon crouched, neck rising before him. Then, she leapt straight up and his flailing hands missed the front of the saddle as the force drove him back against Parl. He felt the teacher’s hand on his back, pushing him forward again. ‘Tsk! Preparation is the key, young man.’ Channon levelled out and Jaron, gasping, looked over her shoulder at the lake below. ‘We’ll do that again, take her back down,’ Parl ordered.

  Breathing hard, Jaron tried to regain his faculties and remember what Carna had told him. Lean forward slightly, keep the weight off your knees.

  ‘No, no, line her up first. Swing her around and keep your eye on where you want to land.’ Jaron bit his lip and remembered to use his weight to fly her round. ‘Good, now straighten her up, always look where you want to go, your body will follow. The tiniest of differences will be felt by the firedrake.’ Jaron listened intently; he was already learning a lot more from Parl in the short time the teacher had been with him. He bent his upper body forward and looked down at the lake from over Channon’s shoulder. She flapped her wings back to slow then began her descent. Jaron concentrated hard, keeping his eyes on the lake. Parl was back in his ear. ‘
Don’t bend forward too much. It is better to keep her level as you come down; if you were in strange territory you would want to be keeping an eye out so raise your chin and lean back a little.’

  When Channon touched down in the shallows of the lake with open wings it was so gentle Jaron had to bend over to check they weren’t still in the air.

  ‘Very good, Jaron,’ said Parl, pleased. ‘Now, up we go again and this time I’m going to sit here and let you do it all.’

  To Jaron’s amazement he managed to get Channon to take off and steer her up to his cave without any help. The only time Parl spoke was as he was lining her up to land on his ledge. ‘She’ll need to lift more at the front if you come at it head on so be prepared for that.’ The noise of Channon’s wings flapping madly as she lifted her neck unsettled Jaron and he threw an anxious look at the huge membrane closing him in and especially at the wickedly hooked wing claw sticking out of the foremost wing joint. He felt Parl’s hand on his shoulder. ‘Relax, Jaron, trust your firedrake to sort it out.’ Easier said than done but he sat tight and gripped a neck plate as Channon landed, her long neck dipping into his cave. She furled her wings and waddled round to stand sideways on the ledge. Jaron let out an explosive breath of relieved air.

  ‘Very good, now nudge her with your left foot and she’ll lift her foreleg for you.’

  Jaron hesitated, then dismounted by hefting his leg over her wither. As before on Madrag, he managed to turn his body to carefully slide down her side to her leg, then stepped down, immensely grateful to be on solid ground again. He turned and without giving himself time to think too much, reached up with a hesitant hand and stroked Channon’s neck. ‘Thank you,’ he whispered to the firedrake. She batted her eyelids at him and blew out through her nose.

  ‘I know it has been difficult for you, Jaron,’ Parl’s voice said. Jaron looked up at him in surprise. The teacher smiled through his short grey beard. ‘Lord Carna has been keeping me informed of your progress.’ Parl unbuttoned his tunic and shirt to reveal a hideous deep scar that ran from one shoulder down across his chest to his stomach.

  Jaron gaped. ‘Firedrake,’ he murmured.

  ‘Yes, my fault. I was young and so was he. I thought my firedrake wouldn’t hurt me, but I was trying to stop him fighting with a rival male and got in the way. He didn’t mean it, of course. It was stupid of me.’

  He wanted to ask Parl where his firedrake was but thinking it had somehow died he bit the question back. ‘This one meant it,’ Jaron said, pointing at his cheek scar. ‘He was intent on wiping out the whole village.’

  Parl nodded, buttoning his clothes back up. ‘I know. The rider and his firedrake were banished.’

  Jaron stared. ‘The firedrake was banished as well?’

  Parl eyed him. ‘Yes, and a firedrake is only as good as the partner it has. Even wild firedrakes will not attack a whole village. Now, I’ll see you tomorrow morning, young Jaron, don’t be late this time.’ Parl raised a finger. ‘And read that book I gave Carna for you. I don’t think the other students will thank you if they have to hear the history of the Raken yet again when they could be flying.’ Parl nodded down at him and Channon started to turn. Jaron quickly hobbled out of the way, his hip feeling stiff after the flying. Looking back, he saw the green firedrake open her wings. She stepped off, and they dropped away below the level of his ledge.

  Jaron went into his cave and when he reached his bed he let himself fall onto his back, exhausted. He should have felt immense relief but instead all he could think of were Parl’s words: The rider, and his firedrake, were banished. Frowning, Jaron sat up and stared unseeing into the cave. He had assumed his father’s firedrake had been put to death for razing the village, and Torrit exiled. Bitter anger flared up in his chest. Still alive. He wondered if his mother knew, but quickly decided if not before she must now.

  The least they could have done was kill the firedrake if they only exiled the rider. Jaron’s hands balled into fists. All because he was a lord. And it must have fallen to Carna to decide his brother’s punishment – and that of his beast.

  18

  ‘Jaron?’ Jaron looked up from his book and frowned. Carna’s head was poking round the curtain. ‘Your mother and I thought you would like to come down to dinner with us.’

  ‘I’m fine, thank you. I’ll take it in my room. Please tell Mum not to worry about me.’ Jaron tried to keep the disappointment from his voice. His mother had been bringing his meal to him in the evening most nights and then stayed to eat with him. Jaron had been looking forward to seeing her tonight so he could tell her about his first day at flying school and ask her more about Torrit’s firedrake. Rella always seemed to be busy during the day and the evening was catching up time for mother and son. The lord didn’t reply further but instead stepped into the cave and fixed him with his flint eyes. Jaron glared back at him and saw Carna’s eyebrows raise a little.

  ‘I’ll whistle Madrag and take you down.’ It was as though Jaron hadn’t spoken. Carna stalked towards the cave doors and pulled them open. By the set of Carna’s shoulders it was useless to argue. Jaron muttered an oath under his breath. The last thing he felt like was being sociable and flying again. He supposed this was the whole idea; get him on the firedrake at every opportunity in the hope he would end up being quite blasé about flying. Jaron didn’t think that would ever happen. His thoughts were interrupted by Carna’s piercing whistle. The red firedrake lowered into view, dwarfing the tall lord’s silhouette. The cave’s lanterns reflected in the luminous eyes.

  Jaron shielded his eyes from the buffeting wind and didn’t think he would ever fail to get used to such an amazing sight. He suddenly noticed a hand waving from behind Madrag’s head in the semi-darkness. He stood up to see better and there was his mother sitting demurely sideways in the saddle, with her long thick hair fanning out behind her. She looked so tiny on the back of the huge red beast.

  His heart in his throat, Jaron started towards them. He slowed when Madrag’s eyes locked on to him and moved to the side to give Madrag room as the beast hitched on to the ledge and pulled himself over. The head swung towards Jaron and a loud welcoming rumble came from deep within the broad blue chest. Carna looked over at his beast in surprise but Jaron hardly noticed, so caught up was he in the sight of his mother sitting on the firedrake.

  ‘Mum,’ he called, his voice high to his own ears.

  ‘Jaron,’ she nodded down at him. ‘Joining us for dinner?’

  She spoke as though she were sitting in a comfy chair rather than on the back of the huge red. She smiled down at her son and Jaron found himself relaxing a little; that smile said she knew what he was going through, that she appreciated him coming so close for her.

  ‘Don’t think I’ve got much choice,’ he grumbled, shooting a glance at Lord Carna who was smiling up at Rella.

  ‘New dress? Very nice,’ the lord had come to stand at his firedrake’s head, rubbing the long nose as he admired Jaron’s mother. She smoothed down the front of the plush velvet.

  ‘Glad you’ve noticed at last. I thought the dark green goes very well with Madrag’s red.’

  ‘It goes very well on you.’

  She tossed her heavy hair as she laughed. ‘You are saying all the right things tonight, my lord.’

  ‘Not difficult with you, my lady.’

  Jaron sighed. He was almost willing to get going on Madrag rather than hear all this mush going on.

  His mother was appraising him with a look he knew well. ‘Is that shirt clean?’

  ‘Yes, Mother,’ he said, and saw her narrow her eyes.

  ‘Best change to the white one, and wear your tunic in the dark leather, with the wide belt.’

  Jaron trudged past Madrag’s nose and Carna’s quizzical look back into his room. His mother’s voice called after him. ‘And wear the clean boots, and…’

  ‘Wash my face,’ Jaron muttered.

  ‘Wash your face,’ his mother finished.

  It was a bit of a squ
eeze on Madrag. Carna sat in the saddle with Rella sitting sideways in the middle on account of her long dress, and Jaron astride in front of her.

  ‘Can he take all of us?’ Jaron was clutching onto a large ridged scale in front of him more than was necessary. He seemed destined to have no stirrups.

  ‘Of course,’ Carna replied. He clicked at Madrag and the beast waddled round in the cramped space of the ledge. Rella’s arms were tight around Jaron’s waist and his mother’s nearness and the smell of her familiar perfume was calming; like a summer wood after a shower of rain. Madrag stepped off and into the darkness. Jaron was expecting his stomach to lurch, but it must have known by now what to expect and stayed more or less in place. All the same, Jaron found flying at night very disorientating. He couldn’t see the lake tonight but caught a flash of the lights from the many caves shining out from the surrounding mountains. The dark slab of Madrag’s raised wing sliced across his vision as the big red turned in the night sky. It was easier to get his bearings when they were heading back towards Mount Scarf.

  As the firedrake spiralled down beside the mountain

  Jaron stared at rows upon rows of caves lifting past, some with the shadowy bulks of firedrake crouched on the ledges and back-lit by the cave torches. Another firedrake appeared out of the shadows in front of them, side-lit by the lights and flapping down as they were. The rider looked over his shoulder, saluted and moved his firedrake aside to make room for the big red. As it did so the huge cave entrance at the base of Mount Scarf was revealed. Light streaming from the inside lit up two statues of rearing firedrake carved in stone both sides of the entrance. Each held an enormous flaming torch in their front paws.

  As they drew nearer Jaron saw more firedrake flying in. Would there be room for all of them? Supposing they collided with another firedrake coming out? Rella’s arms gave him an extra squeeze. He looked back at her and she smiled and winked. Facing forward again Jaron felt Madrag lining up to enter. He stared up to the top of the huge cave and saw there was ample room for another two firedrake to fly above them. Then they were in a huge tunnel and Jaron cringed as other firedrake, now without their riders, flapped out as Madrag passed under the archway. Jaron held his breath whenever one looked to be too close but at the last minute the firedrake seemed to be able to avoid any collision. A short way ahead and the tunnel opened up into a massive cavern. It was the hall Jaron had so often looked down upon from up high when on his walks.