“He did what!?”

Perry wore a look of shock and horror on his face.

Ellis closed his eyes and shook his head.

“Yep. The whole thing— not just part of it.”

Perry gagged a little.

“Did he at least cook it?”

“No!” Mary butted in. “Not even a sear! Or a pinch of salt!”

Perry shook his body as chills ran through him.

“Strange customs indeed…”

“Are we quite finished with this topic?” Telhari asked with a heavy frown.

“Not a chance,” Ellis answered.

“Did it at least taste good?” Ingrid asked.

Telhari sighed heavily in response and threw the camping bag over his shoulder.

“I hope they return soon…” he mumbled to himself.

Lyusya and Albert had ridden at dawn to the barracks to gather men and transport. Perry was still immobile, and though Ingrid was presently lucid, she was still suffering greatly. They both needed to be taken back to the barracks as soon as possible; their wounds needed to be cleaned and they needed proper food. But beyond concern for their wellbeing, there were many other issues for the Starspawn to consider. It had been less than a day since a gargantuan fire breathing monstrosity had laid waste to Viemen. People were scattered, homes were destroyed, and there was above all else a distinct lack of authority. No one could say for certain who was alive and who was dead. Sir Perry needed show the people he was still alive as soon as could be managed.

“Achoo— Agh!”

Perry grunted in pain as an involuntary sneeze aggravated his aching neck and torso.

Ellis ran over and checked Perry’s blankets.

“I am fine,” Perry insisted. “These blankets are full of dust, is all.”

“I don’t know how Avenell does it,” Ellis mumbled with a shake of his head.

“What did you say!?”

Ellis skittered away before Perry could lunge at him. “Nothing! I didn’t say anything.”

“Hmph. I don’t want to hear it!” Perry started, “Do you know how many times your nose was so thick with snot that you could barely breathe? You used to always open the shutters after dark because you were hot, but then you’d fall sleep and wake up sick from the draft! It got so bad Avenell and I had to board up your windows!”

“Really?” Mary asked with a cheeky grin.

Ellis face grew red with embarrassment.

“I was not that bad!”

“Oh?” Perry’s eyes narrowed and he sneered at Ellis. “I distinctly remember one particular night in the middle of winter when you—”

Ellis bolted over to Perry and covered his mouth.

“Alright! Alright!”

“Wait, I want to hear!”

“Sir Perry,” Ingrid chimed in. “It appears they have returned.”

Ellis let go of Perry and the two looked into the distance. A large cart was making its way toward them. Beyond the cart, small tufts of smoke could still be seen rising from town; and even from such a great distance they could see evidence of destruction.

“Still alive, eh?” Albert quipped as the cart rolled up to the campsite. “Alright, let us get the princess up into the cart. Oh, and Ingrid, too.”

“Give me one week, Albert,” Perry said with a bitter grin, “And you will come to regret your words.”

Albert hopped down from the driver’s seat and landed in the mud. His playful smile faded quickly as he approached them.

“Its chaos in town, Perry.”

“What of Rothwell?”

“No one has seen or heard from him. People are saying—”

“He’s alive, Albert. Don’t worry.” Perry leaned forward from the makeshift bench he was sitting on and made an effort to stand. “He’ll show up eventually.”

“Please do not over exert yourself,” Telhari said as he stepped behind Perry. “Let me help.”

Perry turned around to face Telhari; he stood there with a plain look and both of his arms extended. Perry narrowed his eyes at Telhari’s face and then at his posture. The two stood like this for a several uncomfortable seconds.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

“What are you doing?”

“I am going to carry you.”

Ellis covered his mouth and turned away behind Mary in a vain attempt to hide his laughter.

“Absolutely not!”

“But your injuries are—”

“Not severe enough for that!” Perry said as he held up his hand. “You stay back.”

Perry unbuckled the sword from his belt and sized it up. He placed it onto the ground and leaned against it to test it’s support. There was a loud squelching sound as the tip of the sheath sank into the mud. Perry cleared his throat.

“Perhaps my loyal subordinate would be able to assist me in walking to the cart?” Perry said loudly as he flashed a look at Albert.

“As you command, Sir Mannigold.”

Albert clumsily bowed his head in dramatic fashion. Then he walked over to Perry and supported his side. “Come on,” he said. “One step at a time.”

The two hobbled together through the mud toward the back of the cart.

“Erm…Master Telhari…”

Telhari looked over at Ingrid who was still unable to stand; she lay there wrapped in blankets and her cheeks were a bit flush.

“Perhaps…if you would be so kind…”

“Of course.”

Telhari bent down and adjusted his arms to support her back and legs. In a swift and smooth motion he lifted her up and held her against his chest.

“Are you comfortable?”

She nodded.

Ingrid felt like she was floating. Telhari’s gait had not changed in the slightest— as if she weighed nothing.

“Oh!? See what you missed out on, Perry?” Albert joked as the two came around to the back of the cart.

Perry swatted Albert with the muddy end of his sword.

“Make it three days!”

Telhari lowered Ingrid down carefully into the cart.

“Thank you,” she said softly.

The cart shook as Albert jumped inside and landed with a thud.

“Alright, Ingrid, let’s get you situated.”

Albert shoved his arms under hers and started dragging her back one jarring motion at a time. She winced with every tug; a stark contrast to the treatment she had been given only a moment before.

“Be careful, Albert!” Perry shouted.

“I— am trying!” Albert panted between motions, “But she’s heavy!”

Ingrid bit down on Albert’s thumb and he cried out in pain.

Perry laughed a few good times until his ribs started to hurt.

“Serves you right!”

Albert clumsily dismounted from the cart and rubbed his thumb against his vest.

Perry watched as Ingrid tried to shimmy herself into a comfortable position. He then unwrapped a blanket from around his torso and folded it in his lap.

“Here,” he said as he placed the blanket under her head, “It should be more comfortable like this.”

“Thank you, Sir Perry.”

She adjusted her head a few times until she found a comfortable position. Ingrid was about to close her eyes until she noticed Perry was still watching her.

“I am so sorry for all of this,” he said in a low voice. “You have done so much for me and yet still I have asked more.”

“It is my duty to assist you in any way that—”

“That does not make it right.” His eyes were locked on hers now; there was a deep pain in them that struck her speechless. “You are more loyal to me than anyone, and yet still you bleed as if your actions were not already enough. That you should suffer so much by my command…I can’t forgive myself for it.”

Ingrid turned her eyes from his.

“I cannot accept such praise, Sir Perry. Any of your men would have done the same.”

“But you are more than just one of my men…”

Ingrid bit down every urge she felt to turn towards Perry. And it was for more than the sake of her own pride that she kept her face from his. Whether Perry saw her struggle or not, she could not tell. But he remained seated beside her in the cart and said no more.

Over by the dragon’s corpse, Telhari stood with his arms folded examining it in great detail— Mary and Ellis stood beside him.

“It seems odd,” Lyusya said as she approached. “To think that we really defeated something like this.”

“It was quite the feat,” Telhari agreed. Though, his tone wreaked more of concern than joy or pride.

He stood, after all, a few feet from the creature’s neck examining the wound that had been made by Ellis.

“Mary had that wild shot!” Ellis said with a grin. “One, two!” he shouted as he stabbed at the air with his hands. “Right in the eye!”

“Well, yeah,” she admitted with an embarrassed grin, “But what about you?”

Ellis dismissed her praise with a wave of his hand.

“That was all Telhari.”

“Do not be modest,” Lyusya said, “A job well done is a job well done.”

“I was only able to do it because of Telhari’s spell,” Ellis added sheepishly.

“My spell?”

Telhari turned his head toward them and stared with a blank look.

“Yeah,” Ellis said, “That one you gave to uncle Perry and Ingrid. You gave it to me at the last second,” he said as he pantomimed swinging his sword. “And then—!” He grunted with a definitive thrust of his imaginary blade. “All part of your plan, right?”

Telhari studied Ellis for few seconds but said nothing. Then he turned his head back toward the dragon and continued to study it.

“So what are we gonna do with it,” Mary asked as she shuffled a little closer. “Just leave it here?”

“We’ll need to find a merchant, if we can,” Telhari said.

“You want to sell it?” Ellis asked.

Telhari shrugged his shoulders.

“Ideally, we would use all that we can…but much of its use is for magic and medicine, which I do not think the Omnirian government would be happy to know about.”

“Could we just bury it?” Mary asked.

“That would likely cause more problems,” Lyusya added. “If word gets out that there is a dragon corpse in Omnirius, many more bandits will come to try and steal what they can.”

“Is it really that valuable?” Ellis asked as he eyed the dragon’s remains.

“It is,” Telhari said. “So much so that until we can get most of the more dangerous bits handled, I will remain here to watch over it.”

Ellis perked up as an idea came to him.

“If it’s a merchant that you need, I think Mary and I know someone who could help!”