‘Stand ready’ came the Preceptor’s calm command ‘Bern, Henrik. You both have good arms. Prepare to throw your halberds into its wings if it comes within range. Valkyr Nia, Valkyr Adeline, Battlefield promotion. Protect the wounded till they can either return to the fight or make it to safety. Vann. You and the other lads are on retrieval duty. Stay in pairs and keep Bern and Henrik supplied with weapons. Start by getting Lars’ halberd back to him and then drag him back to the gate. He was still breathing a minute ago so I doubt he’s dead.‘
As the dragon passed overhead a second time, a wave of arrows rose to greet it from the palace walls but none found a mark. Then they heard the steady clack clack clack of the polybolos firing from the top of the guard towers and there was a screech of pain and fury as one of the bolts punched through the dragon’s delicate wing membrane.
The king stood on the battlements watching the fight beyond the walls. The Dragon’s guard were gleaming in scarlet armour now as it soaked up the blood from the fallen dragon. Impossibly, all of them were still alive. Even Camryn and Bria who had so badly mauled by the first dragon were now sitting up. The armour must be drawing on the dragon’s blood restoring them and healing them. He glanced back down into the courtyard where the King’s Guard were mustering to go out to assist in the defence, if possible, hopefully rescue any injured and probably die.
Jemryn came out of the gate tower and trotted over to the king. ‘Sire, you are without your guards.’
The king looked down. ‘At times like these, I need every man ready to defend something else. I’d be down there myself but, should we survive this, we will need to rebuild and that will take me the rest of my time.’
Jemryn thought for a moment ‘I will guard your back, Sire.’
The king laughed. ‘Indeed, you will. You are the last representative of the Dragon’s Guard in the castle and you do them proud.’
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
‘Not quite Sire, here comes the Lore master. I don’t think I entirely trust him though.’
The king looked at the gate tower at the southern end of the battlement and there was the Lore Master. He was wearing his normal bright yellow robes but instead of a staff he had a halberd and he wore a sword. He seemed younger, brisker, faster. He wasn’t leaning on the halberd, he was carrying it in one hand, blade down.
The king looked back to Jemryn. ‘Do you not? He has always made me … uneasy I thought it was a personality clash but it seems it’s not just me. Perhaps it would not hurt to have some guards here with us. Go down through the other tower and tell the captain down there in the yard that the king commands a squad to his side, at the double.’
The Lore Master strode out towards them down the channel between the merlons over the out wall and the parapet that stopped the unwary falling into the parade ground.
‘Ah Ryker. There you are. I’ve been looking for you.’
The king looked at him in surprise. ‘Have you come to join the rest of the guard in the fight, Loremaster.’
The Lore Master glanced over the battlements. ‘Those fools will win a round or two against wyrmlings but a drake is coming.’ He pointed at what looked like a small bird in the far distance. ‘It will be here in a few minutes. It’s not expecting a fight, its mind is on other things so surprise is on their side. They might win, they might lose, but this battlement will be broken in the fight.’
The king frowned at the Lore Master’s words. ‘Are you suggesting that we flee the battlements?’ Even as they watched, the bird grew.
‘Oh no Ryker. On the contrary. They will find your broken body in the rubble and your son will be killed in the destruction. Who better to lead the kingdom than the wise and kindly old Lore Master. I have kept your line alive but thin for the last four hundred years but it ends here.’
‘You! You are the reason for all the bad luck my family has had. All those miscarriages, cot deaths and unlucky accidents – you have the blood of hundreds of my kin on your hands.’ The king whipped his sword from its scabbard and bellowed ‘Jemryn - run, get help!’
The lore-keeper snarled ‘They mocked me and called me the runt of the hatching, these cattle-eaters from the east, but I have studied and I have grown in power. I will have vengeance.’
‘Jemryn, Run!’
‘Yes, Jemryn run!’ mocked the Lore master ‘I will destroy you later.’
The Lore Master threw his halberd over the wall and drew his own sword and raised it to meet the king’s weapon.
‘Yes Jemryn, run! Come and free me’