The room was tiny, barely a cell, but it was the only place he could use as an office. The only remarkable feature was the worn wooden desk and a single high back chair that rocked on a broken leg. He sat in that undignified little cell to ensure all was ready for the Father Abbot's arrival and avoid any undue complications.
“The work needs to be done before he gets here,” Dellain said in a dull voice while tapping his fingers in irritation, wondering why he was chosen for this task.
Before him stood two men in the most contrasting outfits, one was tall and wore a simple black coat over olive green pants. He had a strange, almost gray color to his skin and was completely bald. His companion was a full head shorter with long blond hair that splayed about his shoulders. He dressed in a fancy colorful robe made of shades of reds and oranges. It draped over his form as if it was a size too large, making him appear foolish. Both men looked at one another and then to Dellain, their faces devoid of acknowledgment.
“The shaping will take some time, but so long as the smiths can keep up, it should be ready,” the red-clothed man said in a smooth voice.
Dellain frowned and ceased his tapping on the old worn desk. Something about that voice irritated him. It lacked any measure of respect or simple courtesy. It was the voice of a man who felt he had the upper hand and was openly mocking him. The fool had better learn you don't mock a raven guard, especially the order's captain-general. Still, he needed this task done, and these were the men to see it through. He leaned back to scratch at his chin before answering, his eyes showing his displeasure. “Most of the molds are already done. I am told they will be able to pour by morning.”
“Then we will start the shaping in the morning and etch the runes in as they cool. That should speed things up and ensure they are ready in time,” the tall gray-skinned man said with an arrogant voice more suited to a king's hall.
“And how long will it take?” Dellain asked as his gaze shifted to the gray man. He watched as the brows on the man's weathered face creased as if in annoyance. He wasn't accustomed to answering questions or speaking, for that matter. He let his fool companion in red do most of the talking, but when he did open his mouth, it was full of disdain, as if this task were beneath him. If this task failed, there would be nothing beneath him as he hung from a rope Dellain mused.
“The shaping is not complex. Any shaper with a year of training could do it in a few hours,” the red man replied when his taller companion refused to answer.
“Good, the Father Abbot, will be pleased,” Dellain replied with a slow sigh, the weariness of talking to these men taking its toll.
“I do wonder how you managed to acquire the blood?” the red-robed man asked, his face taking on a slight smile.
Dellain’s eyes narrowed as he glared at the man whose smug expression only deepened. Answering their questions was not part of his mission, and he honestly didn’t know. The Father Abbot hadn't told him where the dragon's blood came from, and he knew better than to ask. He accepted the jar with a simple nod and went on his way, leaving spies behind to search for the information. The Father Abbot was skilled at hiding his secrets, and he doubted his spies would learn anything, but such a strange gift had to come from somewhere.
“You are being paid to enchant the items, not ask questions,” Dellain said with some measure of victory at being able to deny them.
“There Is the matter of the silver you promised us,” the tall man said, looking down his nose at Dellain.
The tone of that voice indicated he believed Dellain wasn't trustworthy enough to pay. For a brief moment, he entertained drawing his sword but quickly put the idea away. The mission was more important, and there would be time to deal with their arrogance later. His gaze shifted between the two men who represented the local shapers guild. Were it not for their gift in binding the weave's magic to items, they would not be given such leeway of speech. Still, even if they were polite and cordial, he didn't care for shapers. They always seemed arrogant, flaunting their skill with the weave and what they could create. They openly spoke as if they were great powers, and many sold their services, rising to nobility due to vast wealth. It was those careless words that drew his ire. Too many of the things they said tread on the toes of the gods. While it was true, they could do many things a priest could not; they were not at liberty to compare themselves to the divine. Unlike the gods, they would die one day and be forgotten, a fate that could not come soon enough. Their self-serving nature was why they were in this very room, highlighting what Dellain disliked about them the most. They could be bought for a modest price, wealth the only motivation. They had no dedication or loyalty to anybody but themselves and carried their price openly.
In Dellain's eyes, it was far nobler to dedicate one's life to the service of a divine and know your place. Following that glorious guiding light was the path to true power and purpose. Though, he supposed, even a priest's dedication could be bought sometimes.
“The payment?” the gray man reiterated, his voice growing impatient.
Dellain wanted to punch him squarely in the face but turned to the silent figure standing motionless in the corner. Mathius was his second in command and one of the most dedicated men in all the raven guard. He liked to keep Mathius close at hand when dealing with delicate matters to provide a second point of view. It also helped to have an armed and armored man nearby to keep fools like these from overstepping their bounds. “Pay them,” he said with a tip of his head toward the two shapers.
Mathius silently nodded and reached into a pack at his feet. He pulled out a sizable sack of coins, tossing it on the desk with a loud clink as the metal inside shifted. Dellain leaned over and slid the bag of coins across his desk to the waiting men.
“You have three days until he arrives,” Dellain said as both men reached for the sack.
“We assure you, Brother Dellain; all will be ready,” the red man said as they collected the bag. With their payment in hand, they had no further interest in talking and left the small office without a word.
Dellain's eyes reeked of suspicion as he watched them go. Their necessity in this project only proved one disturbing point. The Father Abbot was worried Gersius might actually succeed in his quest to find a dragon. Why else would he be sent to Whiteford to oversee this fool's errand?
Surely Gersius was dead, and this was a waste of time and money. The report he pried from Marcus's hand after he killed him stated Gersius was going on alone. Not even mighty Gersius could take a dragon alone in single combat. By now, Gersius was a well-digested meal for a slumbering dragon deep in a cave, yet the Father Abbot didn't think so. It was odd how the old man was certain Gersius was still alive. He seemed to show a strange intuition for Gersius and his exploits.
This time the man was wrong, and Gersius was finally dead; there could be no other outcome. If the Father Abbot wanted to waste time and resources, that was his business. Dellain was more concerned about the second letter found hidden in Marcus's boot. It was addressed to Tavis and Ayawa, two very close friends of Gersius and a source of endless trouble for his spies. Unfortunately, it was in code, and he hadn't as yet broken it. What was really going on was likely hidden in that code, and he wanted the answer. Fortunately, Tavis and Ayawa were in the employ of the forces of Astikar as scouts. If he couldn't break the code, he would have them do it, provided they could figure out where the two had gone.
“Tull!” he shouted, his voice too loud for the tiny chamber. In moments it was answered by a tall, sturdy man in black armor, who entered the room and proceeded to bow.
“Yes, my lord,” he said, nodding his head.
“Any word about our code breakers?” he asked, irritated.
“Nothing new since the last report,” Tull said in a smooth voice. “Both Tavis and Ayawa are missing, and nobody seems to know where they went.”
Dellain clenched his hand into a fist as his irritation grew. Gersius was an excellent leader, a fierce fighter, and a master tactician known for deep thinking. All of these qualities made him a dangerous man who was not to be trifled with. Thankfully he was dead, but he'd made plans with the two before leaving, and they had instructions to scatter if they hadn't heard from him. That deadline was passed, and the two had vanished into the night, taking their secrets with them.
“What were you planning, Gersius?” he mused out loud before realizing Tull was still standing there.
“You are dismissed,” he said with a wave of his hand. The man bowed and backed out of the room, shutting the door behind him. Dellain descended into dark thoughts as the possibilities began to play through his mind. Could the Father Abbot be right?
“How long do we intend to wait here for his ghost to show up?” said Mathius, echoing Dellain’s own beliefs that Gersius was dead.
“Patience, Mathius, a game of chess is being played. We must wait for our opponent to finish his move,” Dellain replied.
“A game of chess is being played alright, but are you sure your the one moving the pieces?”
Dellain stared off, his eyes cold, and brow furrowed in thought. He had to admit he wasn't sure.
*****
The morning air was cold, carrying with it the dampness left behind by the night. Gray clouds covered the sky as a gentle wind licked at the branches of the trees. They reached the town of Westbridge the day before and spent another night in a proper bed. Lilly remarked that these were more comfortable but slept on her coins nonetheless.
He tried to brighten her mood by buying her a hot meal, but Lilly still wasn't hungry. She was thirsty, however, and asked if she could have a drink. When an ale was brought to the table, she tasted it and set it down, a sour expression on her face. He knew what she wanted to do and moved her to another table, sitting her in the corner as he blocked her from view. A smile lit her face as he encouraged her to blow on the drink to make her happy. It worked, and that beautiful smile lasted the rest of the night as she sipped three cold ales while he ate. Gersius found himself staring at this woman, who was a dragon, struggling to see the beast inside. To his eyes, she was a curious and sometimes playful woman with the understanding of a child, yet he knew what lurked inside.
They left early the next morning, stopping only to purchase enough dry food to see them a week on the road. They set out going south on the road that would take them directly to Whiteford. A full day's travel later, and they camped in the trees beside the dusty track that was their road.
.
Gersius awoke to find Lilly curled in a ball atop her pile of coins. He smiled at the very dragon-like display that reminded him of who she really was. Despite it, he only saw the woman sleeping in gentle peace and crept away to begin his morning prayers.
He wandered a safe distance away, finding a clear spot in the trees to kneel before his god. He prayed as he always did, offering up praise before asking for protection, blessing, and guidance. It was during his request for guidance that his chanting turned to Whiteford. A deep sense of dread crawled into his heart, nearly breaking his concentration. It was always the same; every prayer about this destination was now a dire warning. Something was wrong with Whiteford, and every step closer made his stomach churn.
He changed his tactic and focused on Calathen instead. The same warning came, showing this destination was just as bad. With no other options, he called for general guidance, pleading with Astikar to tell him what to do. His reply came in the form of distant thunder, rolling gently to alert him of a coming storm. He ended the prayer, looking up at the gray skies in silent acknowledgment. There was a storm coming, of this he was certain, and they would both be caught in it.
With no clear path to choose, the only choice was duty. He'd been ordered to Whiteford, and he would go to Whiteford. At least the Father Abbot would be there, and thus so would a number of the brothers. The presence of his brothers might afford him some protection from whatever danger waited there.
He started back with a heavy heart, his eyes looking ahead for his only source of distraction. Lilly was awake, standing tall with arms spread wide as she yawned so wide it looked painful. It was a mystery how a dragon of over five hundred years could know so little about the world and men. She had some basic understanding taught by her equally mysterious mother, but her knowledge was woefully lacking. She was innately curious about humans and how they experienced the world, full of questions that never seemed to end. When he pointed out how strange this seemed to him, she took a moment to consider it and explained. It was the difference between her dragon form and the human one. The world was very isolated from the skies, a remote place full of tiny things. Walking through it as a human was a vastly different experience, exposing her to all sorts of new stimuli. This human body felt so weak, yet that weakness allowed them to explore the world more intimately.
He was grateful she was in a better mood, the anger much diminished, but still did his best to keep her distracted and talking, especially about food. She was enamored with human food and eager to hear all about the things they ate. He laughed at the thought. Not only did Lilly love human food, but they also loved humans as food. The other day proved that when she offered to eat the bandits to save time. Was it the right decision to allow her to do it? Certainly, it seemed second nature to Lilly, but the sound of those bones crunching made him shiver. She skipped dinner that night, no matter how he tried to entice her with bread. She smiled and sat on her coins, rubbing her stomach with a sigh.
As he approached the camp, she turned around and stepped barefooted onto a log. She stood there, long silver hair blowing in the breeze as she closed her eyes. With a deep breath, she threw her arms wide, slowly turning her hands to feel the breeze.
“What are you doing?” he asked as he arrived beside her.
“It feels different,” she replied in a gentle tone.
“What does?”
“The wind,” she said, turning to smile at him. “As a dragon, I always thought of the wind as something strong to fill your wings and carry you up. I never noticed how gentle it could be.” She paused, shaking out her hair so it would catch more of the breeze. “Everything feels different but familiar as if this was how it was always meant to feel. The wind is stronger high in the skies and over the mountains, but down here, where you humans feel it, it is a gentle caressing thing.”
“It can be forceful at times. Sometimes the wind can blow so strongly it topples trees or damages houses,” he said, not wanting her to think the wind was always gentle.
“I can hear it blowing through the leaves,” she said, looking up. “I can smell the scent of water it carries as if the storm was already here.”
He smiled as she described the wind felt to a human as if he wasn't one. It was a whole new world for Lilly, and he was grateful it offered her some enjoyment.
“Would you like something to eat?” he asked as she basked in the breeze.
“Not yet. I still feel full. You rodents are a good meal.”
“I have been meaning to ask you about that. How do you eat a huge volume of food as a dragon, then transform into a human? Where does all that food go?”
Lilly put her head down to think about it. “I have no idea,” she said at last. “But I don't think this body you see is my body compressed down. It's a projection.”
“A projection?”
“My mother explained it to me once.” She stopped playing in the wind, and walked back to her bedroll, scooping the coins into her pack. “She said all life exists in two forms, the physical here, and the spiritual someplace else. Our bodies are projections from the spiritual into the physical. When a dragon changes form, it isn't physically altering its body. It is withdrawing the one projection and projecting a new one.”
“Your mother sounds like a fascinating woman, err dragon,” Gersius corrected.
“My mother was very mysterious. She told me many things that never made sense to me.”
“Like what?”
“She told me that I would one day have to choose between both my hearts and she once hid something special right under the nose of the stone, red dragon.”
“That is very mysterious,” Gersius said as he belted his sword around his waist.
“She tried to tell me about things from the past, but I didn't want to listen,” she said with a pause in her scooping. “We dragons spend very little time with our mothers compared to how long we live,” she added, looking forlorn. “We live thousands of years, and yet we spend less than twenty of them with our mothers.”
“Is your mother still alive? Do you ever see her?”
“She is alive, and I do see her. I go to see her once every hundred years or so.” Lilly suddenly looked tearful as a few loose coins fell from her hands. “I suppose I won't be going to see her anymore. She is so very far away, and I can't fly.”
Gersius cursed under his breath, realizing the mistake he had just made.
“Lilly, I am sorry. I didn't mean to bring up painful thoughts.”
“It’s alright,” she said softly and resumed packing her coins. “I have thought about our meeting over the past few days. I realize you did your best to heal me, and I appreciate how hard you tried.”
Gersius was grateful to hear that, but the tear she wiped away made him feel deeply sorry for her.
“Besides, you didn't do this to me; Mulizoth did,” she said with a growl of anger in her voice.
Gersius paused at the mention of the name. Mulizoth was the dragon of the black spires, notorious for raiding human settlements far to the north of Delvarium. Thankfully the dragon was rarely seen, and then only on the edges of the wild. He was months travel away from Lilly's valley by foot, though he supposed the trip was shorter by flight. Still, why would this dragon come so far east to attack Lilly? He couldn't think of a logical reason and silently hoped that whatever the dragon's motivation, his role in this war was over.
He was the first dragon Gersius thought about seeking, but his lair was well behind the Doan lines and out of his reach. Still, while searching the records for another dragon, he read over a dozen reports of Mulizoth's depredations. Villages all along the edges of the wilds were burned away in great fires. Any livestock was gone, and in most cases, so were the people. When some did manage to survive, they spoke of a red beast that came from the skies hurling fire and laughter. The only reason they knew this beast's name was because he bellowed it as he descended on helpless villages.
Lilly was the only other dragon they found a record of, and it was a vague report from many years ago. There was a reference to a small group of treasure hunters going out to confirm it, but no record of their return. Gersius was certain Lilly could tell him exactly what happened to them. He glanced her way, noticing the pain of trembling lips, and wet eyes as she covered her face and made a low wail.
“Lilly, what is wrong?” he asked, coming to her side.
“I won’t be able to see my mother ever again!” she sobbed. “I can’t fly, and she will never know what happened to me.”
Some form of terrible pain pressed him over the link they shared. It moved him to great pity to see this mighty dragon crying for her mother. The loss of her wings took away everything she held dear, including her mother. He felt a great need to give her some hope for a brighter path ahead, but that meant taking a risk. He would have to give up his secret and tell her what he prayed for night and day.
“Lilly,” he said, trying to get her attention. “There is something I need to tell you. Something that might change how you feel right now.”
She looked up at him with red eyes that trembled with pain. “What?” she asked in a broken voice.
He steadied himself for what he was about to say as tears rolled down her cheeks.
“There is a chance we can heal your wings, and you will be able to fly again.”
Her eyes went wide at his words, the hands falling away in shock. “There is?”
“I did not want to tell you about it earlier because I was afraid to get your hopes up. It will take a great deal of effort to try, and I can not guarantee it will work, but If I can get enough of the brothers of my order to work together and combine our power, we can do something called Cer'verah. It is an old blessing of my order that is rarely performed.”
“It can give me back my wings?” she said, her voice quaking.
“I do not know, maybe. It is an ancient ceremony used for very rare purposes. It takes at least a dozen brothers to do and requires the use of a holy artifact. We have a golden disk in our temple known as Astikars seal. It has words of healing and purity written on its surface and acts as a gateway to the god's power. I have never seen this done, but we have written accounts of my order using the disk, and the power of the brothers, to restore people and cure them of injuries months even years old.”
Lilly looked like she was going to cry even more fiercely than before as he felt something of her pushing at him over the bind, a sense of hope.
“You have to understand; it is up to Astikar who is restored. All we do is open a conduit large enough for him to reach through. Whether he does or does not is his choice.”
Gersius wasn't prepared for what happened next. Lilly fell to her knees; her arms folded over her stomach, and cried tears of joy. The whole scene made him very uncomfortable and filled his mind with doubts. He'd given her new hope and purpose in life, but would Astikar heal a dragon? What would happen to Lilly if the ceremony was performed and the god said no?
He let her cry for a bit, then helped her with her bedroll. She asked a dozen questions about the seal and how soon they could do the ceremony. She was disappointed to learn it was in Calathen, and they would have to wait until after Whiteford. It failed to sour her mood, however, and she was even more anxious to get moving. With a spring in her step and a glow the gray skies couldn’t darken, she set out eager to get going.
It rained briefly that morning, but Lilly was too overcome with joy. She threw her head back with a smile on her face as the raindrops mixed with her tears. He heard all about how wonderful the rain felt in her human form, as if it was all new and wonderful.
By mid-afternoon, the storm was long passed, and the clouds were breaking, allowing the warm rays of the sun to dry the moist ground. Gersius led the way, glancing at Lilly several times as he pondered a thought.
“Lilly, I want to ask you something.”
She glanced over at him with bright eyes, forcing him to drink deeply of their rich blue.
“What?”
“Why does Mulizoth have a name when you do not?”
She scowled slightly to hear his name spoken and looked away with a sigh. “We dragons don’t take names until we are much older, or we have a need for one. When you live alone in a cave and never speak to anyone, you have little use for a name.”
“Then, Mulizoth is very old?” Gersius pried.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
Lilly shook her head. “He is older than me, to be sure, but not much older. Maybe twice my age.”
“Then why did he have a name?”
Lilly shrugged and glanced at him, her face blank of expression. “He must have needed one.”
Gersius nodded his head at the obvious answer. “So, how do you know his name?”
“He told me,” she mumbled softly, unhappy to be having this conversation.
Gersius decided to change the topic slightly, interested in another facet of dragon names.
“How do you learn your true name?”
Lilly sighed and looked away, her shoulders sagging as she refused to answer.
“Is this more of your dragon secrets?”
“Yes,” she said, with downcast eyes. “There is so much I could tell you, but I don’t know if I should.”
“Keep your secrets if you must, but always understand I will never reveal anything you share with me.”
She glanced at him with a smile. “I suppose this one won't hurt. We dragons learn things while we sleep.”
“You learn from sleeping?” Gersius asked.
“Let me explain,” she said. “When we sleep, we are still aware. It's hard to explain because you have no understanding of the concept. We can do something we would call dream walking.”
“You are right. I have no idea what you are talking about,” he agreed.
She groaned with a toss of her head. “We can enter a sort of dream world. There we can learn things. It's how I know my true name. When a dragon reaches the age of roughly three hundred, it will have a dream where they learn their true name.”
“So who tells you the name?” he asked.
“I don't know,” Lilly said. “When I saw my true name, I was dreaming about looking into my stream, and it was a shimmer of golden light on the water. I heard it pronounced once, and I woke up.”
“That is very odd,” he said.
“No, it isn't!” she protested. “We do all sorts of things in our dreams. We can even find other dragons that way.”
“You can find other dragons?”
“Well, I can when I'm older. Anywhere from the age of one thousand five hundred to two thousand five hundred, a female dragon will feel the calling and –” she suddenly went silent as her face reddened.
“And what?”
“Nothing!” she said quickly.
He laughed at the sudden change and pressed the point. “You were just about to tell me how you can find other dragons.”
“We just can,” she said, trying to put the topic to rest.
“Why are you blushing?” he asked as she tried to hide the fact by looking away.
“It’s personal!” she said.
“Why would being able to find other dragons be personal?” he asked, and then the idea dawned on him. “This is how you find males to mate with.”
“I said it was personal!” she snapped.
“So you feel a sort of calling to do it,” he added.
“Gersius!” she cried. “I don’t pester you about what you pray about!”
“I would tell you. I have nothing to hide.”
“I am not hiding anything!”
He shrugged. “Let us talk about something else then.”
“Yes, let’s talk about something else,” she agreed. “How much further to Whiteford?”
He sighed as his thoughts went back to the task at hand and the feelings of dread when he prayed.
“Three days, maybe four at the most.”
“And then we can go to Calathen?”
He nodded. “Then we go to Calathen.” Gersius did his best to hide the worry from his voice. He didn’t want her to notice the apprehension he felt with every step closer to Whiteford. What danger lay on this road, and would he reach his brothers safely?
He thought back to Jessivel and what he said about his men. They were all found dead, including Marcus, who was alive and well when they parted. What could have happened to him? Was it bandersooks, an accident? He briefly considered another possibility that was not at all comforting. Dellain was the one who found his men. Could he have something to do with Marcus's death?
Gersius tried to clear that thought from his mind. Maybe Dellain miscounted, or Jessivel had gotten the wrong information. Marcus could be in Calathen right now delivering his report, but how had Jessivel reached him so quickly?
He realized that if Jessivel was dispatched from Calathen, it would be another week yet before they would meet. That meant Jessivel was already much closer when he was sent. Since the orders came from the Father Abbot himself, that could only mean he too was much closer. To find his slain men and have time to return and report before dispatching new orders meant he was close indeed. They must have left Calathen right on his heels and been on the road moving east even as his men entered the Greenwall.
Gersius suddenly felt even more uncomfortable as the pieces came together. Jessivel said the Father Abbot sent multiple people to find him. If the Father Abbot was on the road, Marcus would have delivered the report, and the Father Abbot would have known precisely where he was going. It would not have required sending more than one messenger. That meant Marcus was dead, and the coded message hadn't reached Tavis and Ayawa. He realized he was going to need a new plan and knew exactly what to do.
They walked another few hours and reached the outskirts of a small village called Pinehollow. It was a modest town with less than a dozen buildings making up its heart. It was surrounded by farms and herds of cattle, which Lilly pointed out, looked good to eat.
While the land around the town had only a few trees, the town itself was densely planted with them. Tall branching oaks and slender silver pines blanketed the region that acted as the town center. Flowers grew around every house, and lush green ferns hid in the shade under the oaks. He noted an odd number of warehouses to store food as if the town was accustomed to abundance.
All of the buildings were made of wood and plaster, with a few having stone foundations. Thatch roofs were the norm, sagging in the middle from long years, and often nested with birds. He searched for an official building of any kind but didn't see so much as a guardhouse. Pine hollow was just a sleepy little town off the road and did not need guards.
He kept his eye open as they entered, eventually spotting a small horseshoe-shaped building on a hill at the town edge. It was a single floor, almost entirely stone and covered with moss and vines so that it almost disappeared in the landscape. On the roof of the building was a wooden emblem of a plow and a bundle of grain. He directed Lilly to the building, taking her directly to the front door.
“This is a temple to Ulustrah, Goddess of the harvest and fertility,” he said as they approached. “It is a good and kind faith whose priests bless the land and bring good harvests.”
“Why are we going here?” she asked as they approached.
“I want to speak to the priest and see if I can get a message sent.”
They reached the plain oaken door, and Gersius knocked firmly, producing a deep thumping inside. He looked at Lilly when nothing happened and raised his hand to knock again, but the door opened.
“What can I do for, oh, a fellow priest,” came a woman's voice.
She stepped into the doorway wearing a green hooded robe with a golden vine pattern woven on the trim. She threw back her hood and blinked in the fading light of the sun. Her skin was pale, but her gently angled eyes dark and mysterious. The wry smile on her face was framed by long, raven black hair, tied into a cord down her back with a golden ribbon.
“A priest of Vellis?” she questioned as she studied them?
“Astikar,” he said, bowing his head.
“Astikar? I thought all of your order was west fighting in the war?”
“Most of us are, some of us are helping in other ways,” he responded. “How did you know I was a priest? I am not wearing my armor or insignia.”
“I can see the power of your aura. All priests have a strong light, and yours is stronger still.” She turned to Lilly, who was entranced by the manner of speaking the woman used. “And what order are you from, priestess?”
“She is not a priestess,” Gersius answered for her.
The woman's eyes narrowed on Lilly, and she leaned in close, looking her up and down. Her gaze fixed on a spot just over Lilly’s head as if studying something.
“You're wrong,” she said. “I have never seen an aura like hers. It shifts and grows, bright then dark. It is different than yours or mine, but it has power in it.”
Gersius shifted tensely as the woman leaned toward Lilly and studied the air over her head once more.
“I see,” the woman finally said, then paid Lilly no further attention. “How can I help you, priest of Astikar?”
“I need a favor. I need to send a letter, and I need it to go swiftly and secretly.”
The woman shot Lilly a glance and responded. “Indeed, you do.”
“Do you have a pen and paper I could use? And do you have somebody trustworthy who can carry a letter to Kingsbridge?” He watched as she studied him carefully, considering something before replying.
“I am priestess Thayle, and I welcome you, priest?” she paused, waiting for his name.
“Gersius,” he said with a tip of his head.
“Gersius, the hero of Asitkar,” she said with a twitch of her eyes. “My, my, a hero is at my temple and with–” Her gaze came to Lilly as the sentence died, a slight smile curling the corner of her lips. With a wave of her hand, she ushered them in. “Come inside. I will get you something to write with.”
Lilly hesitated at the door, wary of following the strange woman inside. The way those narrow eyes looked at her, and what the woman claimed to have seen, was disturbing. She felt exposed and vulnerable as if the woman could look into her solus and see the truth.
“Come, Lilly,” Gersius said from the doorway when he noticed she wasn’t following.
“Could I stay out here?” she asked, stepping back as her hands played nervously with her dress.
“As you wish, but please do not wander far from the temple,” he asked and went inside.
Thayle led him down a small hall to a room barely large enough for a desk and chair. A few books rested on the desk, but so too did a quill and inkwell.
“There is paper in the drawer on your right,” she said, leaning against the wall as Gersius sat down. “You keep interesting company, Gersius Knight Captain and hero of the war.”
Gersius let her words sink in, wondering what game she was playing. Obviously, she was suspicious of something, but what he did not know. Better to be polite and play her game a little to see what he might learn in return.
“I see my name has traveled far,” he replied as he pulled open the drawer.
“Ha, I suspect everybody has heard the name Gersius at one time or another, but you dodge my question.”
“You did not ask a question,” he said, dipping the pen and starting to write.
“Oh, I see. We're going to play at words, are we?”
Now he knew she was prying, attempting to encourage him to divulge something voluntarily. “I do not play games; I do what needs to be done.”
“You can attempt to avoid the answers I seek but know this. You are talking to a priestess of Ulustrah. Our order specializes in negotiating marriages and helping people with love. I have a great deal of practice being direct and blunt.”
Gersius didn't like where this was going. It was easy to avoid answering in a game of words, but a direct question was another matter.
“I will take your silence to mean you don't believe me,” Thayle said as a smile spreading on her face. “Very well, direct it is. Why are you traveling with a dragon?”
Gersius blotted the paper he was writing on as his hand tensed. He took a deep breath to center himself, not wanting his anger to cloud his judgment.
“How did you know?”
“I can see it over her, a great horned head lizard-like and fierce. It appears as a shadow wreathed in mist, glowing and then going dark as if a choice was to be made.” Thayle suddenly looked away as if lost in thought. “Something hangs in the balance with her, something deeply missed or desired, but to attain it is to lose everything.”
Gersius got up and faced Thayle, his tension mounting.
“I need you to keep this! Tell nobody of what you see or that you have seen me at all,” he said to her, trying to keep control of his fear.
“Gersius,” she smiled up at him. “I am a simple country priestess. I get few visitors outside my village. Who could I tell?”
“Words have a way of getting to the wrong ears,” he said, locking her eyes. “I cannot risk what Lilly is getting out. It will put her in great danger.”
“Lilly, such a pretty name for a dragon,” she said, still smiling. “I suppose that isn’t her real name.”
“No, it is not.”
“Then the war must be going terribly if you intend to fulfill the prophecy and march a dragon into Calathen?”
“You really are direct,” he said, still watching her intently.
“How did she come to be a human? Did you use some form of enchantment?”
“Thayle, I need you to understand something. You are the only one besides myself who knows Lilly is a dragon. I have sworn to keep her secrets, and I need you to swear to me that you will keep them as well.”
“Are you threatening me?” she said with a laugh.
“I mean you no harm or threat. I simply need to know you understand the severity of this situation.”
“That was a lie. You are threatening me. I can see the anger and apprehension in your aura. It is something you often see in dangerous men.”
“Thayle, I need to know I can trust you,” he said with a determined tone in his voice.
“You have my word as a priestess of Ulustrah; I will not reveal your secrets, or hers,” she said at last. “Are you satisfied?”
“Yes,” was all he said, eager to put this problem to rest, but Thayle pressed on.
“Does this mean you won't tell me how she became a human?”
“No, I will not tell you how she became a human,” Gersius responded, his tension near the breaking point.
Thayle rolled her eyes in defeat and moved to the doorway.
“Write your letter then. I will go and find Thomas, a reliable man with a good fast horse to carry it. I vouch for his character despite the fact that he is probably chasing the girls in the market.
“Thank you, Priestess Thayle,” he replied and watched her go. With a sigh, he began again, carefully writing the letter he hoped would salvage his plan, though in his heart he was thinking of Lilly.
----------------------------------------
Below her in a field, tables had been set out and white cloths placed over them. Mounds of colorful flowers rested on these tables, as did plates, bowels, and all manner of human things. Many people in bright clothes were talking and clasping hands as they gathered together around the tables. One woman, in particular, was surrounded by the others. She wore an outfit of white and green and had a crown of white flowers on her head. Lilly thought of the crown Gersius had made for her when a voice made her jump.
“Hello again, Lilly,” came Thayles's voice.
Lilly turned about quickly to look into the dark eyes of the priestess standing not five steps away.
“Gersius is writing a letter, and I am going to fetch a good man to carry it,” she said as she approached those eyes, studying her again. She wanted to run away and find Gersius so he could drive the strange woman off but was determined not to be frightened by this rodent.
“Will he be done soon?” she asked, not sure what else to say.
“He is writing in code from what little I saw. He must have many secrets to keep.” Thayle leaned in closer to Lilly. “Many, many secrets.” She paused as if waiting for a reaction, shrugging when none came. “It may take him some time. Writing in code always takes longer.”
Lilly took a step away from her, feeling very uncomfortable.
“I don’t mean to frighten you,” the woman said. “It's just I have never seen anybody quite like you. You fascinate me.” She took a step back on her own, giving Lilly some room.
“You can see things?” Lilly said, not sure what the woman was referring to.
“As a priestess who often deals with matters of the heart, we are gifted with the ability to see auras,” she replied, leaning against an apple tree. “Men can be hard to deal with, but their auras betray the truth. They change colors when they feel strong emotions or when they lie. Equally, a woman's heart can be fluid and fickle. It helps to be able to see the truth when dealing with emotion.”
“So you can see my aura?” Lilly asked with full eyes and a tremble at her lip.
“I can see your aura, Lilly; I can see your strength.”
“Does Gersius know?” she asked.
“I have told him everything I've seen.”
Lilly wasn't sure what she was supposed to say. What had this woman seen? What did she mean by she had seen her strength? She wished Gersius was here to deal with this strange woman. She wished they had never come here.
“Be at peace, Lilly. I can see the uncertainty on your face. I can see it in your aura as well. Be at peace. I am a friend. I will help you and Gersius any way I can.”
With that, the woman walked away and left Lilly with her thoughts as music began to play behind her.
Gersius read his letter over again. It was clear. It was concise; it was dire. He hoped it would reach its destination in time.
Thayle returned with a man who was tall and perhaps a little thin. But his eyes were keen, and he carried himself well. She repeatedly vouched for his character and assured Gersius he could be trusted.
Gersius handed the man the sealed letter and told him where to deliver it. The man nodded his head and bowed, promising the letter would arrive swiftly and safely. Gersius silently prayed for both. He spoke with Thayle briefly, and she promised again to keep his secret before encouraging him to find Lilly before she got lost.
Gersius found Lilly standing on a log, straining to look through the trees at a gathered crowd of people. He heard fiddles and drums and cheering voices as he reached her.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
Lilly turned about with a look of wonder in her eyes.
“Do you hear that?” she said, her voice full of excitement. “What is that sound they are making down there, and why are they jumping around?”
Gersius joined her side to see more clearly what was happening below. He smiled when she took his hand, grasping it in her excitement as she strained to see more.
“That is music, and the people are dancing,” he replied, taking a moment to look at her curious expression.
“Music?” Lilly repeated as her hand tightened on his. “I think my mother told me about music once, but what is dancing?”
“Come,” he said, tugging at her hand. “It will be easier to show you.”
He took her through the trees to the side of the clearing where they would have a better view. Candles burned on every table, and a great fire blazed on one end of the field, bathing the area in a warm glow. People in fancy clothes and brightly colored dresses pranced about, eating, drinking, talking, and dancing. The scene was one of joy; as wine and smiles flowed, the people lost to their revelry.
“Why are they dancing?” Lilly asked as they got closer.
“It looks like a wedding,” Gersius said.
“What is a wedding?” she asked, genuinely lost as to what was happening.
Gersius took a moment to think of the best way to describe such a thing to a dragon. “A wedding is when a man and woman make a sacred vow to love one another for the rest of their lives.”
“Love one another?” Lilly said as if the concept were foreign. “Why would they do that?”
“Most people do it because they want to start a family, have children.”
“So she has sought him out to breed with?”
Gersius laughed; her dragon point of view was making it hard to understand.
“Lilly, humans are not like dragons in this respect. Humans marry one another and make a commitment to stay together and have children. The man will not leave; he will stay and help raise the children.”
“The male doesn't leave?”
“No, not usually. Sometimes things happen, and he does leave, but for most people, the woman and the man stay together, and both of them raise the children.”
“That's why the male and female farmer were in the same house,” she said, puzzling it out.
“Now you are starting to understand.”
“You stay together forever?”
“Until death claims one of the two,” he replied with a nod.
“Why, though? Why stay together?” she asked, using her free hand to play with the edge of her dress.
Again he had to think of a good way to explain it, but the only answer he could give was simple. “Because they love one another.”
“Love?”
Gersius could see she had no concept of love, at least not as humans understood it.
“Lilly, as humans, we can grow very attached to one another. A man and a woman can become so attached that they find it difficult to be apart. They have powerful emotions for one another and desire to share them. We call this feeling love.”
“I will never understand you rodents,” Lilly said with a shake of her head.
“I would not say that. You have come a long way in just a few days, and please start trying to call us humans at least.”
The music changed, and people switched as they started a new dance.
“So why are they dancing then?”
Gersius realized he hadn't answered her original question.
Two humans have married and become a family. They are dancing in celebration of the event.”
“So two humans feel strongly for each other, they play music, and people dance for them, then the male doesn't leave?”
Gersius laughed again as she tried to work it all out.
“Enjoying the party?” came Thayle’s sudden voice.
They both jumped in surprise and turned to face the smiling priestess.
“I was just explaining to Lilly what a wedding was,” Gersius said, glancing at Thayle.
“Of course,” Thayle said, smiling at Lilly. “Maybe I can help her learn a bit more,” she added, walking into the field and up to a man in a fancy blue coat and pants. She spoke with him for a few moments and then pointed at Gersius and Lilly. The man smiled and put a hand on her shoulder, nodding his head before walking over to them.
“Welcome, friends,” he said as he reached them. “The Priestess Thayle tells me you are good friends of hers, and you're here for the night as you travel. Please, please come in and sit with us; there is plenty to eat and drink. I would be honored to invite friends of the priestess into our gathering.”
“Oh, no sir, we could not possibly impose,” Gersius said, holding a hand up.
“Nonsense, we planned the party for forty, and only thirty showed up. We have plenty to spare. Please, it would be my honor.”
Gersius realized they could not turn the man down, so he took Lilly by the hand and nodded in agreement. “I thank you for your generosity,” he said and led Lilly into the field. They sat across from Thayle at a relatively empty table as she smiled softly.
“I married them this afternoon,” she said while picking at some fruit. “The party was delayed because of the rain.”
“Your people seem to be quite happy and cheerful,” Gersius said.
“Of course they are. Blessings of food and fertility abound. What more do simple people want?”
Gersius nodded his consent. What more could they want indeed? A simple life full of simple blessings was all he ever wished for. As he pondered that thought, the music changed to a lively tune with a piper playing along.
Lilly watched as some people got up, some sat down, and the dancing started again. She watched them intently following their every move, her head starting to toss with the music.
Gersius smiled at the silly display when something bounced off the side of his head. A grape landed in his lap as he turned to see Thayle gesture at Lilly and then the field of dancers.
Gersius shook his head no as Thayle tore a small chunk of cheese off a wheel and launched it at him. He tightened his jaw as the cheese bounced off his nose, joining the grape as Thayle gestured again. With a sigh, he turned to look at Lilly, who was transfixed by the dancers.
“Would you like to dance?” he asked her.
“Dance?” she said, suddenly breaking out of her daze.
“Yes, dance, like them,” he said, pointing to the people in the field.
“What? No, oh no, I can't. I can't do that!”
Gersius was about to turn around in victory when a cheese ball hit the back of his head. He knew this was going to go on all night, so he resigned himself to his fate. Closing his eyes to bite down his frustration, he got up and turned to face Lilly.
“Come with me,” he said. “I will show you how.”
“I don't – I mean – how do I – “ she stammered, unable to complete a sentence.
Gersius took her hands and tried to guide her to her feet.
“Come, Lilly. I will guide you every step of the way.”
She hesitated, so he yanked her up, stealing a glance at Thayle, who had a wide grin on her face, and waved at him as he pulled Lilly to the field.
“Gersius, what are you doing?” Lilly hissed at him in a low voice.
“I am dancing with you,” he said, taking her to an empty spot on the field.
“I don't know how to jump about like a rodent,” she barked.
“It is very simple,” he told her, taking her left hand with his right and hooking his left arm around her waist.
“Now step with me,” he said, taking a slow step to the side. Lilly stumbled at it but managed to follow the movement. “Good, now we step again.” He stepped again, and she followed. Slowly he added more steps, gradually increasing the speed until she was following him move for move. She began to smile as she watched her feet following his steps and letting him carry her along with his arm leading her through the dance.
When the music changed, so did the dance, and he had to start over, showing her a new pattern of steps. She learned amazingly quickly, taking to dancing as if having had years of practice. She fancied this new dance because it included a twirl that ended in his arms. She stumbled on it the first time but was quickly giggling every time she spun around. He found the worries of his mission fading away as he heard that laughter and looked into those beautiful blue eyes. At that moment, all he saw was Lilly, not a dragon, but a beautiful woman, and he began to wonder what she was thinking.
Lilly was lost in the moment, so focused on the music and the dance. She caught sight of his eyes and was transfixed as he smiled and asked.
“Are you enjoying your dance?”
Lilly could only smile and blush, the words failing to come. She was enjoying jumping around like the other rodents and the feel of his arm around her waist. The revelation made her panic a bit as she struggled to understand what was wrong with her.
She felt something else, too; it was a strange sort of stirring deep inside. She had no word for it, nor understanding of its nature. She grappled with it only briefly before he spun her around again and forgot all about it. As the music played on and the night got longer, all she knew was the hope it would never end.
When the party finally ended, Thayle put them up in a small room in the back of the temple. There was only one bed, and Thayle made a snide remark about how that would be all they needed. Gersius shook his head in disapproval, but she only laughed and shut the door behind herself as she left. He put his bedroll on the floor and let Lilly have the bed as she paced around excitedly. She quickly dumped her coins on top and began to rake them up into a pile. She stopped for a moment and looked back at Gersius as he unlaced his boots.
“I enjoyed my dances,” she said with a sideways glance and a slight smile.
“I know you did. I enjoyed them too,” he replied, thinking about how human she felt in those moments.
“We could dance some more. If you want to, I mean. If there's another wedding,” she said, stumbling over the words.
“There are many more reasons to dance than just weddings,” he said, setting his boots aside. “If you like dancing so much, I will watch for another chance.”
He saw her blush a little as she stole a glance at him. Gersius had to look away and fight to contain his thoughts. What was happening here? Why was he suddenly having new doubts about what he was doing? Why did he feel like protecting Lilly from his quest was more important than completing it? A sense of apprehension that could only be divine fell over him, but he shook it away. He had his orders, and a priest of Astikar obeyed his Father Abbot.
He looked at her again as she piled her coins. It was a behavior that only a dragon would do, yet, try as he might, he struggled to see a dragon. All he could see was the beautiful woman he called Lilly glowing with excitement. He heard her as she climbed into bed on that pile of coins, the metal shifting under her weight. He reminded himself she did that because she was a dragon. Despite her outward appearance, she was still a dragon.
He shook his head to clear his thoughts, but it was useless. He tried to remind himself that if they had met just a few days earlier, she would have killed him. She was deadly and violent and ate people when the chance arrived. None of it helped as he looked again, and all he saw was Lilly. Try as he might to deny it, he knew he would gladly die for her. Dragon or not, he would do anything to protect her.
He wondered if to protect her, they should turn back, defy his orders, and go straight to Calathen. He began to doubt his convictions and had to remind himself why he was doing all this. He had to unite the shattered kingdoms to give the people hope and the will to fight. He had to fulfill the prophecy to save them, but deep down, he knew the truth. His priorities had changed somehow, and all that mattered to him was getting to Calathen not to save it but to heal Lilly's wings. He went to bed restless and dreamed of dancing with Lilly in his arms.