by Nira Steele
Fortunately she was not stuck there for a very long time. In less than five minutes he had returned, bursting back onto the shelf with a roll of his eyes. She could smell the metallic tang of fresh blood in the air.
“How dare you!” she blared at him.
Hanging his head like a scolded puppy he shuffled up next to her.
Astonished, Andie nearly chuckled at his response. For such a fierce looking creature he really was quite sensitive. However she knew it would not be wise to let him get away with this behaviour. Furrowing her eyebrows she gave him her best angry glare.
“Don’t come near me! You smell like an abattoir!” she barked at him. “Why are you hunting anyway when you’re being so well fed?”
Moving even closer he nudged her with the edge of a wing. He did it so very gently, barely making contact with her. As endearing as this kind of behaviour was it had become an issue. When they returned from their flight today, Andie found she could not dismount on the platform again.
For the last two days she had been forced to wait until he was inside his cave. He would thunder straight inside, ignoring her protests no matter how loudly she made them. Then the moment she touched the ground he would begin to back himself up. Extending his wings, he would drop to the ground and attempt to block her exit from the cave. Emitting soft little grunting sounds he would try to herd her into the nearest pile of hay.
They had some serious arguments about this behaviour. Andie discovered she could actually shove him if she made a serious effort - he seemed to really enjoy it when she pushed him around. Producing a loud gurgling noise he would start to go floppy as she pressed against his scales.
It was amazing just how sooky he could be. She had worked out how to settle him down though as she had discovered a soft spot on him recently. There was a small round hole just below his huge horns and if she massaged the skin around it he would almost melt.
His reactions always made Andie grin with delight but Tessa, well…. She would spout loud comments about oversized babies as she stomped dramatically out of the cave.
This only made it way more fun to do of course.
Fortunately Tessa was no longer suffering through these displays. She had returned to her full time work, leaving Andie to manage the ride on her own. Andie thought this was great as there was always a handler around now to assist her.
It felt good to be less of a burden on her little friend. Andie had already concluded Tessa was her part-time guardian. In fact, her whole family seemed to be Andie’s official protectors. It was a new and uncomfortable experience so she did all she could to be less of an encumbrance.
That being said Tessa and her parents did seem quite happy to have Andie around. Tessa in particular seemed to enjoy her role as Andie’s personal tour guide. Just today she had taken her to the main arena of the town. As they left the cover of the grand public buildings they walked into a sea of blue and white flowers.
“Welcome to the Amphitheatre!” Tessa announced with her usual enthusiasm.
Long rows of perfectly manicured garden beds curved gently around a terraced auditorium. Between the flowers ran shallow ponds, each ending as it met with the four symmetrical stairways. Tiny streams ran down through the garden beds, cascading gently towards the centre. In the nexus sat a large marble dais appearing to float within a huge circular pool.
“The design captures the rays of the sun which allows for an abundance of flowering plants,” Tessa declared knowledgably. “All of these garden beds are relocatable so we can hold very large gatherings here.” Beaming like the sun herself, Tessa was obviously in her element here.
“I don’t know how you guys do it,” Andie professed.
“When you live for hundreds of years you have time to develop horticultural innovations.”
“You truly are the biggest plant nerd I’ve ever met,” Andie declared with a grin.
Feigning surprise Tessa gasped loudly as she opened her mouth into a perfect O shape.
“I know what a nerd is!” she rebuked her gently. “I prefer the term ‘gardener’ thank you very much.” Tessa always delighted in their excursions, obviously proud to be sharing what she could of her home.
There were definitely some strict limits on what she could reveal though. After their walk through the Amphitheatre Tessa guided Andie back downstairs. She had secured a tour of their indoor breeding area as she was certain Andie would enjoy visiting the facility.
Wandering wide eyed through the cavernous space Andie was amazed by the sheer size and height of this area. Filled with rows of neat little pens, all the tiny chicks and piglets quickly consumed her interest. It was such a delight for her initially but then she made the mistake of asking where the baby dragons were. She thought it was such an innocent request to make, especially since she was allowed to see all the other little animals.
Andie had never been bundled out of a place so quickly. Well, except for a party back in her first year of college.
This had been so much worse though. You would think from the looks on the farmers’ faces she had asked them to strip down to their underwear. Tessa had become really upset too, wringing her hands in the manner her father disliked so much.
As they hurried back into the corridors things did not improve. Tessa was beginning to look like she was actually in pain. It wasn’t the screwed up grimace of a physical injury though, this seemed to be something much closer to the heart.
“I’m so sorry!” Andie babbled as she trotted along beside Tessa. Staring sideways at her friend, Andie was terrified she had broken some unspoken rule.
Tessa pulled up when she realised how she must appear. Breaking into one of her big smiles she lightly patted Andie on the arm.
“It’s not your fault. You do not understand these things,” she advised Andie.
It was a bit of a condescending remark but Andie was happy to take it.
“I won’t mention it again,” Andie assured her. Keeping her promise would not be easy though as this was a subject of great interest to her. Over the years her research on dragons had consumed a considerable amount of her time. She had always been criticised for her efforts, so it was probably best to let this go.
There was also another good reason to drop it. She could not bear to see such a bleak look on her little friend’s face again.
Giving each other a nod they headed for Tessa’s home together.
✽✽✽
Yesterday’s gaffe left Andie feeling a bit down.
She had realised she needed to stop asking so many questions. It was a shame really as there were so many things she was just dying to know about.
Andie had fallen into a regular habit of quizzing her companions. She never thought she was intentionally pestering people as most of it happened quite naturally after dinnertime.
She had learned some useful things such as the fact their society was formed during the Roman Empire. It came as no surprise but where exactly did they originate from? They clammed up whenever she tried to ask about it. Andie found it incredibly frustrating as she knew how large the Empire had become.
Unfortunately she never got far with her questioning. Try as she might, they always seemed to cut her off at a certain point. Willa was the cleverest of course and effortlessly diverted Andie’s attention to something else. She found Terenus a bit more forthcoming although he would often get very abrupt with her. Tessa was always such a breeze and probably revealed more than she should.
However yesterday was a very different matter. Andie knew she had pushed her little friend too far.
She really could not afford to lose Tessa’s support anymore. The townspeople had become far too intrigued by Andie, to the point where she could not stand around anywhere on her own now. Just today she had a demonstration of how serious this had become. As she was waiting to meet Tessa for lunch she was besieged by a group of women.
Andie did not see any of them enter the alcove where she was standing. They just appeared out of nowhere
and surrounded her in a circle. Dressed in their long flowing dresses they were staring in a most disarming manner. They began touching her everywhere as they mouthed strangely familiar Latin words. Their fingers combed slowly through her hair….
Andie was relieved beyond words when Tessa’s bellow cleared them away.
“What the hell was that all about?” Andie spluttered.
Grabbing her hand Tessa swiftly towed her away.
“They have never touched a human,” she responded gruffly.
“How come? They’re allowed to leave Lunaris aren’t they?” Andie asked as her eyebrows arched into a frown.
“Yes, but coming into contact with one of your people is strictly forbidden.”
“You said you’ve been to Howland City? How did you manage it without bumping into anyone?” Andie asserted. Narrowing her eyes she glared at the back of her little friend’s head. “Hang on can you please slow down a bit?”
Rounding a corner into a secluded courtyard Tessa released her hand.
“My mother has taken me there on two day trips,” she responded more calmly. “We have to make sure we aren’t seen so we become invisible.”
“Really?” Andie murmured. Rubbing her chin between her thumb and forefinger she absorbed this fact.
“Don’t tell anyone I told you,” Tessa added quickly as she glanced all around.
“I won’t,” Andie assured her as she dropped her hand. Pressing her lips together she began studying the gardens nearby.
Tessa’s eyes softened as she began to smile.
“It’s okay, I can tell you about this. We can’t have any contact with humans because we age so much slower than you do.”
“Yeah I get it,” Andie responded with a nod.
“It’s the reason people are completely fascinated by you. They are surprised by how similar you seem. Well except for the red hair of course.”
“What did they expect?” Andie asked with a little frown. “Did they think I’d feel different to them somehow? That really tall girl kneaded my backside like she wanted to ask me out.”
Tessa let out a rather loud cackle.
“Oh that’s Hadriana! She works in the palace as a royal attendant. They don’t get out very often so they are all a bit strange.”
“Ah,” Andie responded quietly.
The home of the royal family was a great mystery to many people apparently. Of all the townsfolk Tessa knew only her parents had ever been allowed inside. In spite of everyone else’s interest Andie had no desire to venture beyond the palace’s walls. If there was any truth to the rumours then she was perfectly happy to avoid it.
One of her more unexpected discoveries was the habitual gossiping of the Draconarid. They openly discussed the most personal of matters anywhere they liked.
It reminded Andie of her mother’s home village where juicy scandals were always circulating. Many of the stories were huge exaggerations but they often had a basis in the truth. Her mother grew up in the township of Bakersfield, a secluded little place not far from her aunt’s cottage. Andie had always found the lifestyle there to be very different to the one she knew.
The people in Howland city were far too busy to care what their neighbours did. Andie had always loved her privacy so living there suited her very well. It was a surprising truth she had never realised until she came to Lunaris. Here it was very different - everyone knew everyone else’s business.
“Andie?” Tessa spoke loudly.
“Sorry, I drifted off there.”
Perched atop a pair of wooden stools they were now safe within their lunchtime retreat. The male patrons in the tiny tavern had grown accustomed to them and largely ignored their presence now.
It was Andie’s fifth full day here and time was literally flying by for her.
Sipping on glasses of cider they listened to the endless chatter of gossip all around them. Most of the conversations weren’t in English but Tessa was more than happy to translate. Smirking with delight, she would relay the highlights of the Lunaris grape vine in all their outrageous detail.
As per usual there were lots of royal scandals going around. Andie had to wonder if any of them could actually be true. As she listened to the latest story her mind wandered to other matters. In another two days Andie’s time in Lunaris would be coming to an end. She was certain she could stay if she continued to keep the red dragon here. Giving Tessa a big smile, Andie decided to ask for her opinion.
“So do you think I’m doing alright at my job?” she enquired loudly.
“Oh you’re doing really well!” Tessa boomed back. “I think there’s a reasonable chance you will be asked to stay for longer. You even have a nickname now which is a really good sign.”
The smile melted off Andie’s face. Leaning in very close, she asked Tessa to repeat her last statement.
Cupping one hand over her mouth, Tessa almost pressed her lips into Andie’s ear.
“They are calling you ‘Oculus Draconis,’” she responded.
Blinking, Andie leaned back and stared at her. Those were the same words those intrusive women had whispered to her. In fact, it was the same thing Terenus had uttered when she woke up after her first flight.
“It’s perfect!” Tessa chortled out. “The Dragon’s Eye is such an appropriate name for you.”
Andie could not work out if Tessa was being sarcastic or serious. Keen to move on, she decided to distract her with another question.
“How is your latest project going?” Andie yelled over the din of voices.
Tessa lit up like a Christmas tree.
“Really good!” she bellowed with a full body jiggle. “You should see how well the new system of reticulation is working. It really has been a resounding success. Now if I can just solve the issues with the porosity of the artificial soil….”
If you let the little blonde go she would talk about her work all day.
“Hey I just remembered I need more of your gum,” Andie interjected loudly. “I’ve almost gone through the batch you made.”
“Really? Well we can’t have you running out. Come downstairs and we’ll pick up some more right now,” Tessa yelled back. Together they hopped off their stools and headed towards the sinks.
Soon it would be time for Andie’s regular daily flight. Today it would be different though as she had a secret destination in mind. It was something she had remembered last night - a task she could not afford to be dissuaded from.
Now she had to hope the dragon would agree to it.
✽✽✽
“There it is!” Andie called out as she pointed towards the edge of the forest.
She had no trouble convincing the dragon to fly to her aunt’s cottage. He seemed to understand exactly what she meant and headed north without a moment’s hesitation. Her aunt’s house turned out to be relatively close by, barely fifteen minutes by air. This made complete sense given her aunt’s occupation as she would want to live close to the people she traded with.
Now what were they were calling her aunt again? That’s right, the Mercator Domina. Andie thought the ‘Merchant Lady’ was a curious title to give her.
Andie was thrilled by her aunt’s connection but she knew she could not insist on any details. All the same she was still very curious about the process of trading. These people did not use any currency so they had to be giving her aunt something in return.
There was still so much she didn’t understand, her mind literally brimming with questions. However Andie had realised she would have to wait until she earned more of the Draconarid’s trust.
She always had another option - her lovely aunty Dawn. If she was a Merchant for House Lunaris then she would know so many of their secrets. Unfortunately she was still travelling so Andie would have to wait for her return.
However this was not the reason Andie had flown to her aunt’s house today. She had promised to take care of her animals and the task had lapsed badly. Squinting forward she saw a grey slatted roof coming into view.
As the high back fence appeared a wide grassy space opened up beneath them. The dragon plunged downwards, making Andie gasp as they headed straight towards the ground. Then he snapped his wings out wide and landed smack in the middle of the paddock.
As a blast of air spread out around them a cacophony of noises erupted. Small creatures were tearing everywhere through the grass and the surrounding trees. The atmosphere filled with screeching as the wildlife fled into the forest.
Trying to ignore it Andie dismounted and headed for the back gate. Then she pulled up, hesitating for a moment before spinning around to face the dragon. Raising one finger she issued a firm command.
“Please stay put or you’ll terrify my aunt’s pets,” she instructed him.
Turning on her heels she continued towards the fence. Arriving at the gate she then carefully reached through the access hole. Lifting up the catch she attempted to sneak into the back yard.
It proved to be a waste of time - the animals were already in a panic. There were chickens fleeing everywhere in little clouds of feathers. The cats had retreated into the house before the old goat attempted to squeeze through their door flap.
Gaping at the chaos Andie felt a dull thudding beneath her feet… followed by a deafening screech. It made her flinch so hard she almost fell over. Looking up she glanced over the top of the back fence. A huge pair of black horns was slowly sinking behind it.
Then she noticed something – all the strands of gems hanging from the fence palings were now glowing. They were coming alive, their faceted forms lighting up like lamps.
“Wow,” she breathed. Any doubts about her aunt’s occupation were instantly extinguished. Looking over the fence she saw no sign of the dragon. “Hey, are you okay?” she called out to him.
A muted grumble filled the air.
“I’m really sorry. I didn’t know there was a shield or whatever that was.”
A huge red prehistoric head bobbed up, followed by more grumbling.