BDArc-HiddenDragons

by CSM

  “She is crying again,” Growloranth grumbled to the knights as if it was their fault.

  They were all back in the barn except the well camouflaged male dragon. He was on guard duty, watching from the shadows outside Isabelle’s house. He could easily see into her window and was reporting her movements back to the men in the barn.

  “I don’t like how alone she is,” Tildeth observed, compassion in her tone.

  “We cannot leave her here like this,” Growloranth stated.

  “We also can’t force her to go,” Robert reminded them all. “We will have to work on convincing her. She has memories here that are obviously hard for her to let go of.”

  “Sometimes it’s better to leave the memories behind and begin new ones,” Growloranth said in a subdued tone.

  Robert remembered that dragons went off on their own to mourn, most of the time, after losing their knight. Growloranth and Tildeth had both lost their first knights and spent time in the mountains, grieving. They had not stayed in the Lair where their former knights had lived and worked. In fact, when they came back, they did not even go to that Lair, but instead, asked for assignment to the Border Lair after choosing their new knight partners.

  “Dragons can be far smarter than humans when it comes to such things,” Robert observed.

  “This place is all she knows,” Bear put in. “She does not think she has any alternative, and she fears leaving the known behind for the unknown.”

  Robert was impressed with Bear’s grasp of the situation. He nodded at his fighting partner as they settled down for the night in the barn. Growloranth would be on watch outside in the shadows that were his element.

  “Maybe we can show her a little bit of what we can offer her at the Lair,” Robert mused. “After we complete our mission, we could invite her for a visit, if we haven’t convinced her by then.”

  The others agreed and conversation drew to a close for the night as Tildeth and the knights fell asleep. Growloranth would wake them if anything happened.

  A few hours later, in the deepest part of the night, Growloranth’s voice sounded in Robert’s mind, waking him instantly.

  “A man is coming up the path in haste.”

  “I’ll be there in a minute.” Robert promised, already slipping his sword and dagger from their scabbards as he made his way through the dark barn.

  “He just rushed right past me,” Growloranth reported. “Didn’t even look in my direction. He’s knocking on Isabelle’s door.”

  Robert could hear the loud raps on the wooden door, followed by the fellow speaking loudly enough to be heard in the barn and beyond.

  “Isabelle, you’ve got to come. Mantell’s prize bull is sick something awful. Mantell’s stockman tol’ me to come get you.”

  Robert reached the shadows by the door to the barn in time to see Isabelle answer her door. She was wearing her cloak and had a large bag slung across her body.

  “I’ll come, Darel, but this is an awful time of night to be asking favors. If the animal is so sick, why didn’t he send for me before now?” Robert watched from the shadows as she closed her door behind her, then glanced at the barn while the townsman was already starting back down the path ahead of her, grumbling. He hadn’t even glanced at the dragon.

  Robert saw Growloranth wink at Isabelle. Her startled smile before she turned to follow the man was just the tiniest bit mischievous.

  Robert waited for her to go down the path a bit before he came out of the barn. “I’ll take it from here, friend,” he told Growloranth as he passed him, already on the trail of Isabelle and the stranger who had come for her in the night.

  Robert tailed the odd duo all the way to the grand house he and Bear had discovered earlier. All the activity seemed to be centered around the barn, which was too well lit for him to infiltrate. However, there were windows, and the far side of the building was bathed in darkness. And if that didn’t work out, there was always the roof.

  Robert made his approach from the outside, on the dark side of the building, after watching Isabelle and the man—who was some kind of servant—enter the big barn. It took him a few moments to find a good vantage point, by which time Isabelle could be heard talking in soothing tones to both the people in the barn and the animal she had been fetched to treat.

  When he finally got a good look at the situation, Robert didn’t like what he saw. The animal in question was indeed a big bull. He was stomping and snorting, pawing the ground with a wild look in his eye. Several people stood around the beast’s heavily-fenced stall, but nobody seemed brave enough to go in there with him.

  Isabelle would have to, if she was going to treat the animal, and that worried Robert immensely. The beast could crush her or gore her, in no time at all.

  But then she began to whisper something to the aggressive animal. The bull’s ears perked up and he gradually quieted as she entered his stall. Robert watched in awe as she gentled the massive creature and even convinced him to allow her to examine him. She ran her hands over his belly and down his legs. The creature seemed to revel in her touch and even tried to lick her a few times, following her movements with its gaze.

  The bull followed her like a pet dog when she moved toward the rail to speak with one of the men who watched from afar. She spoke calmly, in a firm voice that didn’t seem to upset the bull, but Robert saw her put her hand on the bull’s forehead when the man spoke, seeming to calm the creature with her touch.

  After a few words were exchanged, Isabelle moved away from the rail and dug in her bag for a bundle of dried herbs. Robert saw the older man send a younger one out of the barn on an errand, and a few moments later, a bucket of water had been brought in and handed over the rail to Isabelle. She crumbled her herbs into the bucket of water and stirred, the bull watching her actions with seeming adoration.

  When she stepped back, she led the bull to the bucket and Robert watched in amazement as it lapped up the herb and water mix with what looked like bovine pleasure—if there was such a thing. Not long after, the bull’s eyelids started to droop and Isabelle coaxed the creature to lie down on his side.

  She sat with him, petting him and speaking in low, gentle tones, until the bull seemed to fall asleep. At that point, she delved into her bag again and pulled out a stoppered bottle with some kind of oil inside. She poured the entire bottle of dark oil onto the bull’s belly and rubbed it in.

  Now that the creature was lying down, even Robert could see the reddened patches on its hide, particularly on its belly, where Isabelle was applying her medicine. She followed the oil with a salve and then bathed the surrounding area with a green gooey substance she had taken from her bag.

  By the time she was done, the bull’s underside was a blotchy concoction of many colors—mostly green, brown and yellow—but the animal looked at peace, and as if he would stay that way for quite a while. Isabelle patted the creature’s head once more before she left his stall, pausing to speak with the older male, who was probably the stable master. She gave this man a few more things out of her bag, and pointed to each one as she issued what had to be instructions.

  After that, she seemed to deflate, yawning hugely as she walked—alone—to the barn door. Robert ghosted around the outside of the building so he could watch her progress. He couldn’t believe nobody was going to walk her home. It was still pitch dark out. Anything could be prowling out in the darkness.

  And in fact, Robert soon realized the dark shape on the roof of the barn was Growloranth. Apparently the dragon didn’t want to leave Isabelle’s safety in the hands of a mere human. Robert had to suppress a chuckle. Growloranth, it seemed, was becoming as attached to the lady as his knight.

  Isabelle began walking slowly toward her home, but the back door to the great house opened and a dark-clad woman rushed out. She held a wrapped bundle out to Isabelle and Robert could see Isabelle’s expression brighten for a moment when she accepted the small parcel. The other woman rushed back into the house and Isabelle went on her way,
alone.

  Except, she wasn’t really alone. Robert and Growloranth shadowed her steps all the way back to her place on the edge of the woods.

  Chapter Four

  After the nocturnal excursion, Bear and Tilly decided they had to run an errand before their morning patrol began. Robert slept while Growloranth kept watch, though nothing else exciting happened for the little that remained of the night.

  Bear and Tilly returned shortly after dawn with a huge sack of provisions and a surprise for Isabelle. Robert smiled when he saw what his fighting partner had done. Sometimes Bear had really excellent ideas, and this was definitely one of them.

  Bear and Tilly stuck around for breakfast, which Robert totally understood. Bear, no doubt, wanted to see Isabelle’s face when she realized what he’d brought for her.

  He got his chance about a half hour later when Isabelle came outside to the barn. She seemed hesitant to enter, but once she saw the men were up and about, she came inside…and then stopped quite still.

  “Do you like them?” Bear asked, moving close to Isabelle as she saw what he’d done.

  “Are they for me?” she whispered, apparently very moved by the gesture.

  Bear walked with her over to the wooden cages he and Tilly had brought in earlier. Inside were a small flock of chickens. Two hens and one rooster. From there, she would be able to breed more and have plenty of eggs for herself, as well as some to trade or sell.

  “I tried to get a few more hens, but the farmer wouldn’t part with more than two,” Bear said somewhat sheepishly.

  “Sir Bernard…” Isabelle began, clearly choked up at the gesture. “I am overwhelmed. Are you certain they are for me? It is too much.”

  Bear seemed relieved as a grin broke over his face. “They are most definitely for you, milady. I only wish I could have talked the farmer out of more of his flock. And after I do my patrol, I will build a coop for you on the warm side of your home, so they will be safe through the winter. I come from a farming family and we kept our coop on the other side of the kitchen wall where the chimney was. As long as you leave a small fire burning in the kitchen hearth, the chickens on the other side of the chimney will benefit from the warmth all winter.”

  A tear rolled down her face, followed by another and another and then she did something unexpected. She literally launched herself into Bear’s arms. Taken by surprise, he nonetheless was smart enough to wrap his arms around her, accepting her hug and the kisses she bestowed on his rough cheek.

  Bear turned his head and one of her kisses landed on his lips. She stilled, moving back slightly to look into his eyes while Robert and the dragons held their breath. What she did next would determine a lot about the future.

  When she stayed motionless in Bear’s arms, Bear did what came naturally, moving closer, slowly, giving her the opportunity to flee…but she didn’t. She waited, seemingly unsure but willing to trust him as he lowered his mouth to hers, giving her a proper kiss. A proper kiss that turned improper within only a few moments.

  And she…she just seemed to…surrender. That was as good a word as any when all the tension fled her small body and she returned Bear’s kiss with a passion that looked as fiery as it was unexpected. Robert watched with both joy and a bit of envy as his fighting partner was the first to claim a kiss from the woman they intended to make their own.

  There would be time for Robert to kiss her though—if everything proceeded according to the plan they had mapped out deep in the night. They had strategized how to woo her. The first step was to continue to fix up her home and shower her with small gifts that would make her life better, even if she chose finally not to take them up on their offer of marriage and a home in the Lair.

  Truth to tell, even if she rejected them, the offer of a home in any dragon Lair would stand. If Robert and Bear couldn’t convince her she was the one for them, perhaps another pair of knights would be luckier. Or she could work with the dragons for the rest of her life. Her pure heart and the ability to speak to dragonkind, paired with her lack of fear of them guaranteed her acceptance among them, even if she didn’t want to mate a pair of knights.

  It might just break Robert’s heart to see her go to someone else, though. He already had deep feelings for the girl, and he suspected she was the one meant to complete their family—no one else’s.

  When Bear finally let go of Isabelle, by slow degrees, gentling the kiss that had raged for long minutes, her eyes were deliciously dazed. There was no doubt she had enjoyed Bear’s kiss. It was only when reality returned that she panicked, and a flush of becoming pink graced her cheeks.

  “Oh, dear,” she breathed, stepping back from Bear. He let her go, dropping his arms, but watching her carefully. As did they all.

  “I am sorry if I moved too fast,” Bear said quietly. “But I do want you to know I admire you a great deal. I would like to court you when our mission is done, with an eye toward seeing if you could perhaps live with Tilly, Growloranth, Robert and me. We have all talked about it, and we suspect you may be the one who might complete our family.”

  “Too fast, Bear,” Robert warned silently. “You’re overwhelming the lass.”

  “No, look at her face.” Tildeth cut in on the mental conversation that included only the two dragons and two knights. “She is thinking about it. Under the panic, she is tempted.”

  Robert noted the way Isabelle looked at each one of them, first the dragons, one by one, then meeting Robert’s gaze with only a hint of wide-eyed disbelief. Tilly was right. Under the fear was…interest.

  “Hot damn,” Robert observed to his friends. “I think you’re right. Good work, Bear. Although I’m still jealous as hell that you got to kiss her first. Tell me, is she as sweet as I imagine?”

  “Even sweeter,” Bear confirmed. “And far hotter than I ever dreamed. She will set us both aflame should we ever convince her to be our mate.”

  “I pray the Mother of All will give us the chance,” Robert replied, sending the prayer heavenward even as he smiled encouragingly at Isabelle.

  “And you, Sir Robert?” Isabelle said softly, a slight tremor in her voice. “Do you also believe this?”

  Robert stepped forward and took her hand in his, looking deep into her eyes. “I do.” He dipped to place a chaste kiss on her brow, unwilling to scare her off. Her world had just been rocked, judging by the look in her eyes. He didn’t want to add even more chaos. “I think you are a courageous, clever, lovely woman with much to offer our family. You could complete us. All we ask is that you think about it.” He let go of her hands and moved slightly away. “As Bear said, we have a mission to complete, but after we’re done with that, we would like you to think about visiting the Lair with us to see how we live, and what it’s like being among so many dragons and knights. It is our hope that you’ll like what you see and perhaps it will help convince you that we have only the best intentions where you are concerned.”

  She was silent a long moment, until she finally answered. “I would like to see it someday. For now, you’ve given me a great deal to think about.” She looked at the cages holding the quietly clucking hens. “And a flock of chickens to feed.”

  She smiled and Robert breathed a sigh of relief. They were past the biggest hurdle. She hadn’t turned them down outright. She was just being cautious—and who could blame her? She hadn’t survived this long on her own without being careful.

  Isabelle turned and, while she didn’t actually flee, she certainly moved rather quickly out the door of the barn and back to her house. Robert had to smile when she sent back a message via Growloranth, apparently unwilling to talk mind-to-mind with anyone but the dragon at the moment.

  “Lady Isabelle invites you to breakfast when you are ready,” Growloranth conveyed the message to Robert and Bear with a comically haughty air. “And may I add my congratulations on your swift thinking, Sir Bernard. All along I thought my knight was quicker with the ladies, but I see I have underestimated your prowess. Well done, and thank you for
moving things along. The sooner you find your mate, the sooner my lady and I can take to the sky. While we are not pressuring you to hurry, just the same, we are glad you are showing signs of bringing your search to an amiable end. Tildeth and I agree that Lady Isabelle would make a wonderful addition to our little family.”

  “It will be nice to have another female to help with the little ones when they come along,” Tildeth put in. “Isabelle is a gentle soul who would be kind to younglings of either race. And she would sing the sweetest lullabies.” Tildeth sounded almost wistful.

  Robert knew that parenting of babies was shared by the mixed families in most Lairs. The humans acted as a second set of parents to any baby dragon born in the family, while the dragons did the same for any human children. It was an arrangement that had been working for centuries within the borders of Draconia, and Robert looked forward to seeing it in action in his own small family unit—once they found their mate. He would bet his best suit of armor that Isabelle was the one. Now they just had to convince her of that little fact.

  They walked to the house, Bear carrying the heavy sack of provisions he had secured on his early morning flight. The farmer from whom he’d bought the chickens had sold him a lot more besides the livestock. Robert was glad Bear had been so thoughtful, but he felt like a dolt by comparison. He had yet to shower their lady with gifts, but for the life of him, he couldn’t think of what he could give her besides his heart. And he didn’t think she was ready yet to hear declarations of undying love from a man she had met only a day before.

  When Isabelle let them into her home, Bear took the lead, placing the heavy sack of supplies on the counter near the washbasin. It was a smart move because, as Robert quickly realized, Isabelle had already prepared breakfast using her own supplies. Bear’s provisions might hurt her feelings or cause embarrassment in light of her own meager offerings. The last thing they wanted to do was hurt her in any way. Leaving the supplies for later was the best course of action at that moment.