by Nira Steele
Darius stared back at her as his huge brows rose in response. Shaking her head, Andie quickly refocussed her thoughts.
“Please,” she implored as she gazed into his golden eyes. “You already know I’ve been allowed to stay for a bit longer. You were there when Laurentius said he’d check up on me in three days. Please tell me you’ll be remaining as well.”
Andie continued to meet his unblinking stare. Then she twitched, releasing a yelp as a large object bumped against her. Reaching sideways she clutched onto the huge studded bulb on the end of his tail.
“Bastard,” she muttered.
Rumbling, he gave her a wink. Then he turned, swinging his tail away as he took off into the air. He skimmed out across the lake letting his huge wings glance at its surface. Reaching the middle he shot straight up in a dizzying spiral. Beating his wings he continued to ascend into the atmosphere. Then he stopped climbing, relaxing his body as his speed diminished. Lowering his head he began plunging earthwards in a vertical dive.
Then Andie noticed the saddle.
By the time she called out to him it was already far too late. Darius hit the water like a bullet, piercing its surface with a surprisingly small wave. The saddle did not survive the dive though and when he resurfaced it was gone.
“Where’s the saddle!” Andie yelled out to him.
He seemed to hear her, immediately diving back down into the water. In less than a minute he was up again cradling something in his front claws.
For a moment Andie stared at him – then she clapped both hands over her mouth. Snorting, she did her best to stifle a loud guffaw. She had never thought him capable of such a sorry expression. It appeared as if every bit of him was drooping with apology.
Reaching the shoreline he placed the sodden mass at her feet. Making a deep whining sound he then began bumping his wet snout against her. Dropping her hands, Andie bowed her head as she tried not to smirk.
“It’s okay. Don’t get too worried about it,” she murmured as she reached up and patted his muzzle. “Go have a swim while it dries off.”
She watched him turn and slink slowly back out into the lake. Darius moved effortlessly through the icy water, seemingly oblivious to its frosty temperature. After a minute he cheered up and began splashing about loudly as he bathed. Andie could feel her pent-up tension beginning to ease as she lowered herself to the ground. She started smiling as she watched him frolic, quietly delighted to see him looking so happy again.
This was a moment for her to cherish, some much needed respite from the dramas of the past few days. Sitting back she took a deep breath and savoured the crisp clean air of this place. It really was serenely beautiful up here. The rugged peaks, the tall pine trees – and not a creature in sight. Very few animals could survive in this unforgiving terrain.
It felt so good spending a quiet interlude with her dragon – well not her dragon really but still, he was a dragon.
How old had Willa said he was? Mid-eighties? That was quite young for a Draconarid. She could see it now, his youthful behaviour when he was in his dragon form.
As a human he was a completely different creature though. Articulate and confident he could easily pass as someone of a greater age. Well except for the bobbing up and down which made him look about six years old.
Smiling to herself Andie got up and inspected the saddle. It was still intact except for the long thick strap which had snapped around the buckle. Touching it carefully she began frowning as she thought of Marcellus. He definitely would not be happy when he saw this damage.
Absently rubbing her wristband she quickly dismissed that thought. She had a far more pressing issue to face now - how was she going to get back to Lunaris?
✽✽✽
The return trip to the township was a slow one. Hunkering down in one of Darius’s upturned paws Andie clung to a huge talon for the journey home. It was by far the most uncomfortable ride she had ever taken.
Darius carried the damaged saddle in the grip of his other front paw. The thick strap was tucked away but it managed to slip loose on the way back. It flapped around so obviously Andie just knew it would be seen. She could hear the wailing before they had even touched down.
“What have ye done?!” Marcellus moaned loudly from the cave’s entrance.
“I’m so sorry!” Andie blurted out as she clambered awkwardly out of Darius’s paw. Continuing to apologise she began assisting Marcellus with the saddle. Ambling sideways across the platform they carried it into the cave.
Once they were inside they managed to squeeze it through the door into the workshop. Marcellus then hefted the damp mass onto the bench in the centre of the room.
“How can I help?” Andie asked him with a worried little smile.
“Do ye know anything about leatherworking?” Marcellus muttered.
“Well no, but I can assist you?” Andie offered. After five more minutes of grovelling she was completely done with him. This was ridiculous. It was as bad as trying to deal with Darius.
“Where’s the miserable lump gone now?” Marcellus grumbled as he fussed endlessly over his tools.
“He’s in his spot now,” Andie advised him as she glanced out through the workshop door. Sure enough her huge scaly friend was curled up in a back corner. Facing the wall, Andie could practically feel the sulking emanating from him.
Letting out a sigh she decided it was time to leave. Stepping outside she retrieved her cloak from its wooden peg just next to the door. Then she looked at Darius, feeling the urge to give him a little dig.
“Bye for now grumpy face!” she called out.
A deep vibration rippled through the air. Smirking, she moved back into the workshop.
“Okay Marcellus, I’m heading off,” she spoke quietly. Then she froze in place as her mouth slowly dropped open.
Marcellus was now sitting on a wooden stool at the work bench. Facing away from her, he was positioned squarely in front of the saddle. His hands were raised into the air as his fingers moved up and down. The wet mass of leather was beginning to creak….
Then the entire structure started coming apart, separating itself into layers. The pieces floated up into the air as they stayed in perfect alignment with each other. A soft hiss permeated the atmosphere as the components began releasing their moisture.
Andie stared wide eyed, unable to believe what she was seeing.
Then it clicked. All of a sudden a whole lot of things started making sense to her. Kitchens with no appliances, laundries with no washing equipment - these people did not need them.
Terenus had told her the Lunarians could manipulate organic matter. This was different though, as Marcellus was levitating a large object into the air. He was pulling it apart too without laying a hand on it. This looked amazing, like it was a perfectly normal thing for him to do. You would expect there to be sparkles or magical wisps but no, there wasn’t anything like that.
Astounding as this was Andie knew she should not be witnessing it. Did Marcellus think she had left or did he simply not care if she saw this?
Stepping away very quietly she began tiptoeing towards a side door. This was an exit out onto the platform, a narrow arch cut straight into the wall. Carefully opening the thick wooden door Andie slipped silently outside.
However she did not make it very far. As soon as she stepped onto the tiles she was abruptly jolted backwards.
“Just a moment,” Marcellus whispered. Completely stunned, Andie stared back at him as he held onto her wrist.
“Ye know our secret, don’t ye?” he spoke in a breathy whisper.
“Yes. I found out recently,” she murmured back.
“Then come with me.”
Releasing her wrist, he moved quietly out through the door. Walking away across the platform he then headed down the stairs. Andie followed him carefully, glancing several times behind her. When she reached the top of the staircase she quietly moved down it.
“This should be far enough,” Marcellus said as
she reached the bottom.
Andie could see something was definitely bothering him. His eyes were darting everywhere, scanning the area all around them. Then he abruptly stopped and fixed his eyes onto her.
“So lass. Ye must be wondering what we all look like as dragons eh?”
This was not a question she had been expecting. Blinking, she frowned as she answered him.
“Of course I’m curious but I’ve been told I’m not allowed to see anyone.”
“A prudent response, but do ye know why?”
“Apparently it will upset grumpy face,” Andie responded, carefully avoiding naming Darius.
“Fiddlesticks,” he stated with his eyes still locked onto her. “Meeting any dragon ‘tis not safe for ye. I know it might sound obvious but ‘tis not for the reasons ye might think.”
“Oh really? Because Willa’s already warned me about that,” Andie retorted with a frown. Despite her surprise she really wasn’t appreciating his behaviour. She could not work out what had gotten into him. He was usually such a pleasant and cheerful person.
“What exactly did she tell ye?” he demanded.
“She told me to be careful, watch how I behave around him,” Andie answered back. “He’s young apparently so he may not behave in a virtuous way towards me.”
“That’s putting it nicely,” Marcellus stated with a slight eye roll. “For centuries ye people and mine have been mingling in, well, certain ways. As a race we’re sworn to respect each other but when it comes to ye kind….” He abruptly stopped and dropped his eyes to the ground.
In an instant Andie figured out what he meant.
“Oh my god,” she murmured.
Marcellus looked up as his mouth formed into a sad little smile.
“In our scales we tend to act a wee bit rashly. When we see something which takes our fancy, we cannot resist the urge to get closer. ‘Tis not a problem for a Draconarid but ‘tis a different matter for your kind. A mere dalliance for one of us will consume the best years of a human’s life.”
Andie already knew how long the Draconarid lived, she learned about it on her first full day here. So why had she not realised what this would mean for her?
“When I was a young lad I spent a lot of time frequenting Howland Port,” Marcellus revealed. “T’was back when the trading ships started arriving on these shores. One summer I met a lovely young lass, she was so full of life.” The big man went silent again as his eyes fell back to the ground.
Now Andie knew where his English accent came from. He continued to speak with his gaze firmly fixed onto the pavement.
“One day I was out flying and I happened across her. There she was, standing on the lawns of a very grand house. She was wearing a frock of the finest blue silk – to this day I can still remember it. Her hair was so glossy and dark, falling in these big long ringlets around her face….” He stopped for a moment to release a sigh.
“By the gods, she truly was a beauty. Then she turned towards me and smiled up into the air. Her expression was so warm and open it completely melted my big foolish heart. Somehow I just knew she wouldn’t flee so I landed and revealed myself.”
Andie stared mutely at him. She had no idea what she should be saying in response. He gave her a smile, an awkward expression which brought a slight blush to his cheeks.
“The mind of a dragon is pure instinct lass. Everything is black and white. So when I saw my lovely girl, well, ye know.” Chuckling ever so briefly he let his face relax into its usual warm facade. “I see some of her in ye,” he said quietly. “Ye accept everyone so openly, even a commoner like me.”
“The last thing you are is common,” Andie stated with a frown. His comment had really struck a chord with her. “Your people are as rare as hens’ teeth. You are as special as anyone here.”
Shuffling his feet again he started to blink rapidly.
“Well among my people I’m common as muck,” he said quietly. “Being a Draconarid did me little good and in the end ‘twas my undoing. Back in those times a man of thirty years would be showing his age. But me, I still looked like a young lad.” He stared at a nearby pillar as his eyes faded into a blank stare.
Andie did not need to hear any more.
“It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me the rest,” she murmured.
“No. What I did was completely wrong. T’was such a selfish endeavour,” he declared gruffly. Pausing, he gave his head a little shake. “I left, I didn’t say a word I just… left. What could I say to prevent the pain I was going to cause? I couldn’t marry her, give her children or any of the things she deserved. I wanted her to despise me, t’was better she purged me from her thoughts.”
It was a heart-wrenching story and Andie knew exactly why he was sharing it with her.
“You’re warning me about getting involved with Darius,” she said quietly.
“So that’s what the big bastard’s name is!” Marcellus blurted out.
Blushing furiously Andie realised her mistake.
“P-please don’t repeat it or I’ll be in big trouble,” she stuttered out.
“Don’t worry about me lass,” he said with a little wink. “I’m not the one who’s been telling tales on ye.”
“I’m so sorry for what happened,” Andie said sincerely. At least her disclosure had managed to lighten the mood a little bit. “I’m sure you never meant to hurt her.”
“T’was wrong, I was only thinking of myself,” he stated brusquely. “When ye know something will only bring harm then ‘tis nothing but selfish and cruel.”
Raising her eyebrows Andie drew in a long breath. They stood silently, carefully avoiding each other’s eyes. Then Marcellus cleared his throat as his smile returned.
“But enough of my sorry tales. Ye should be heading off to meet with ye friend,” he said warmly.
“Thanks for the warning,” Andie murmured.
“Think about what I’ve said.”
“I will.” Awkwardly she tugged her cloak into place before ambling off.
✽✽✽
Andie found herself wandering aimlessly through the upper level courtyards.
Marcellus’s story had really hit home for her. Of course she knew how long the Draconarid lived so why had she not realised how this would impact on her?
Literally everyone here would outlive her by hundreds of years. Her short existence was nothing but a foot note in these people’s lives.
Shaking her head Andie strolled on. During her stay here she had little time to process anything. Even the things she had considered carefully had barely sunk in. However she was avoiding a specific issue here. The fact was she had been thinking about one particular person quite a lot. Andie had already realised a romance would be impossible. Well not actually impossible, just an incredibly bad idea.
Trouble was she had grown rather fond of him.
Or had she? Because in reality she was spending all of her time with a dragon. This is what her memories were filled with, not the brief instance when Darius was a human. She could see all of those happy moments in the landscape of her mind. There he was thundering out of his cave, his reptilian smile spreading across his face. Those big golden eyes lighting up… and the feeling, the warmth reaching right into her heart.
It was weird. Was it love? Well maybe for a dragon but wasn’t that like loving a pet? Or maybe this was different. After all, a dragon had a brain many times larger than hers.
Marcellus’ words echoed through her mind, especially the admission of his selfishness.
Andie released a heavy sigh as she ambled past yet another beautiful garden bed. Dragging her feet with heavy steps, she barely noticed the bright blooms surrounding her. Mooching her way into another courtyard she then stopped and looked around. This was a place she had never visited and everything seemed just a little bit different.
Then she began feeling something very odd. It was that strange prickling sensation again, just like she had felt after being ill in a garden a few days ago
.
Suddenly she saw it - a patch of darkness moving under an archway. It was gone within a heartbeat as it moved into another area. Releasing a yelp, she yanked down her hood and scurried towards a set of stairs.
Eventually Andie managed to find her way back to Tessa’s house. Slapping her hand against the door’s activation stone she then stood and stared into the wooden panel. The instant it moved she grabbed the edge and squeezed through.
“There you are!” Tessa exclaimed.
Her little friend was home, pawing over something on the dining table. Grinning happily Tessa began waving her hands through the air.
“Oh come and see what’s arrived! You’ve got something special to wear tonight.”
Stunned, Andie pulled up mid step.
“Tonight?” she responded with a blank look.
Tessa’s grin morphed into a grimace.
“Err… I’m really sorry but I forgot to mention there’s a banquet this evening.”
Andie just stood and gaped at her. Scratching her neck, Tessa’s gaze dropped to the floor.
“It’s my fault. With everything going on it completely slipped my mind this morning.”
Pinching her chin Andie edged cautiously towards the table. Spread out over the wooden surface was a silvery grey dress. Styled in the usual fashion of the Draconarid it was a beautiful piece of custom made clothing. Its long sweeping sleeves and floor length hem were embellished with intricate embroidery.
“It’ll look magical on you,” Tessa enthused as the smile returned to her face. “You’re nice and tall so you can carry off all the lovely trimming. The colour is understated too so you won’t stand out in the crowd tonight.”
“I’m really not very tall,” Andie muttered as she touched the dress. “What did you say this was for again?”
“We have a banquet every Saturday night to celebrate the week’s events. Almost everyone comes along to it.”
“So much for keeping a low profile,” Andie stated wryly.
“I was surprised by it too, but father said you’ve been invited.”