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Chapter 13
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Ardwella ran swiftly through the forest. Her eyes moved rapidly over the terrain she was currently navigating, vivid blue eyes on her incredibly beautiful face. She had exchanged the traditional clothing of a respectable elven housewife and mother for a long-sleeved thick leather tunic. It had little that could be considered ornamentation, but there were some bronze ringlets sewn around the sleeves and another larger one near the collar. She also wore knee-high boots, leaving her elegant thighs the only bare skin showing. Her long, flowing hair was tied back in a ponytail. On her back, the sword moved only slightly back and forth in an ornate but practical sheath that Alberad had never seen before. Actually he had never seen anything at all like this before. He was completely stunned at the transformation of his wife into this warrior queen goddess. He had always considered himself to be in pretty fair shape for physical activity, but now he was struggling and just trying to keep up. He was also sure that she was holding back.
He carried a bow in his now far too-sweaty hand and could feel his quiver bouncing off his far too-sweaty back. Looking over her shoulder she evaluated his all too sweaty face and at last took pity on him. She finally stopped running. He pulled up short, sucking wind, and bent over with his hands on his knees.
“H-How?” was all he could force out between breaths.
”I am drawing on a sleeping power,” she said. “One that once awakened will change everything.”
“Why now?” He gasped out.
”Because I have waited long enough,” she smiled, “And I have grown weary of subtle and meaningless negotiations “
”At least tell me where we are going!” He panted, finally catching up on his air a little.
“You will see soon enough, darling. Don’t worry. We are almost there”
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Tundor had failed. It seemed the area within a couple of miles of Candasar’s cove was “fished out”. He chuckled to himself at the deliberate incorrect use of the term. A throwback to a life he no longer lived or even cared about. Stinky, cold-blooded fish! It was amazing how much had changed in such a short span of time.
He knew that he had been hunting the area heavily, but Candasar’s body shape had made life near the lake a necessity. Something was pushing the deer herds into other areas, and that something was him. Now, it seemed that the situation was about to change. He had no doubt that Candasar would have tried working on the other limb while he was gone. When all four of them were done, they would walk out of here together and into a new kind of life. He would check in on her now and then, after he had ensured her wellbeing, and range farther out into the forest to find her food. With her swimming ability vastly reduced, fishing was no longer an option. It was up to him. They would eat bears if need be. He was not afraid of them in the least. He would provide for her as a good mate should. They would raise their young together. They would make some DRAGONS. His family would try to live peacefully with the elves. Lothinar seemed open to helping him with that. With so much on his mind, Tundor was surprised to see two strange elves standing just inside the trees, suspiciously near the cove. They were looking directly at him. They hadn’t attacked or fled but were warily holding their positions. They both looked a little nervous. He decided to go with polite. It had worked before.
”I am Tundor. I am peaceful. I have elf friends already. Please don’t kill me,” He sent telepathically to the pair. He very much hoped that they could understand him. He hoped that somehow he sounded sufficiently meek.
They looked at each other, then back at him. The male elf seemed especially focused on his sadly shriveled wings. Tundor could work with that.
”Yes, can not fly. Am sad broken misfit, not real dragon. Tundor likes his elf friends! Um, little Hungry—bad hunter—You have food?”
The elves definitely looked calmer.
Then the female said to the other, but not in mind speech, ”I can see why Lothinar likes him. He seems sweet for a dragon.”
”Not at all what I expected either,” said the male.
”Lothinar! Lothinar, yes, friend. Do you also know Ardwella? She is mother. Very pretty elf. My friend too”
”Well, that’s surprising, said the male. I didn’t realize the parents were involved.”
”Why don’t we let him off the hook? This seems a little cruel.” Said the male
”Yeah, but you must admit it’s kind of funny.” Said the female
Suddenly the male elf started sending.
”Hello Tundor, my name is Cantrell, and this wise-ass is ArdWYNN…I don’t want you to be confused because her name is very similar to someone you have met before. We are here with Lothinar. He is in the cave trying to get Candasar to come out so we can all get to know one other.”
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”Lothinar went to see Candasar by himself? That’s probably unwise!” Tundor sent loudly as he bolted forward and then past the startled elves. He shot between the remaining trees and out onto the beach.
‘Wow! He can move fast,” said Cantrell as he began picking himself up off the ground where he had reflexively thrown himself when the dragon started his charge. On the other side Ardwynn was doing the same. She had a puzzled look on her face.
”Hey Cantrell!“ she asked. “Do you think it’s kind of a turnoff for a guy if a girl’s name is very close to his mother’s, or is it kind of exciting?”
”Let’s discuss that later, or maybe you can just ask Lothinar if he is still alive, that is!” Bellowed the Warden.
He ran after the dragon. She followed.
She really hoped he was
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In the village of men, near the end of the lake, there was a temple to an ancient god. Womber, the priest, was just finishing his daily studies. He had been reminding himself of the duties, obligations, and, of course, benefits of his position. It was a good life. An easy life. Little did he know, a life that was about to be greatly disturbed. Yes, he had “skimmed off the top” these many years, but only a little. Apparently not enough to be noticed by the masked and darkly hooded figure that appeared to receive the temple tithes each month.
Next month, he would retire and slip away from the village, leaving behind the pimple-faced young man with the overly large Adam’s apple whose name was, of all things, Starett. It would then become Starett’s duty to run things. Funny name, he thought, but he had come highly recommended as honest. Womber chuckled. The money he had taken would buy him a nice villa near the sea, a long way from here. Womber would be glad to finally get the smell of incense out of his clothes. He was just finishing the last of his wine when there came a frantic pounding on the door to his quarters. It could only be the apprentice.
”What is it? Don’t you know that I’m not to be interrupted!” Bellowed the Priest, throwing open the door.
”Yes, begging your indulgence, sir, but I think we have a problem!”
”Well, spit it out, boy, now that I’m up”
“It’s the huge statue of the dragon, sir, in the courtyard!” Gasped the apprentice.
”Yes, yes, what about it?
“Well, it’s moving!”
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Ardwella broke from the trees and crossed the clearing between the dense forest and the town wall. Such a tree gap was usually necessary to provide a little warning if the city was attacked by men at arms or if a pack of dangerous animals decided to come toward the town. It provided a line of sight and ample range for archers to try to remove the threat. After the initial shock of seeing the two sprinting elves, someone manning the wall with a bow wisely chose not to fire. He hoped that they were not running from something big! He called for reinforcements and continued to observe the trees.
The guard at the gate looked them over. The male was gassed, breathing rapidly with his legs quivering. the female looked fresh, and WOW was all he could say.
“You need to let us in right away. There is something going on in the temple, “ she said, her musical voice easily adapting to human speech.
“How would you know that?” He asked.
Just then, a tremendous roar blew out from blocks away, ending the argument.
She cocked her head at the noise, emphasizing her point.
“You had better let us in; I don’t think she will be as patient as I have been.”
”” You know, gasped Alberad, I just realized that you could have caught me with that broom at any time”
”It was more fun to chase you!” She winked. “Let’s go get my girl before she levels the place”
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The giant statue of a dragon roared again, very much alive. Her immense tail swung back and forth in the courtyard, snapping smaller pillars and breaking ornamental pottery that covered the area. Suddenly instead of a hollow crash, there was a more substantial crunch. A large decorative urn near the high priest’s quarters was smashed and hundreds of gold coins came tumbling out.
Starett watched with disgust as Womber went suddenly pale, This didn’t look good for the priest.
“It’s a miracle!” The old man finally croaked out. The dragon god has created gold with his tail!”
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The timing could not have been better for Bartuuug. The seven clan elders had made the trip down to Candasar’s hunting grounds near the man village. They had searched the area for a bit, not exactly knowing where she usually rested. The two annoying females who claimed to have confronted Candasar had given them directions, but they were somewhat vague. There were no obvious places to sleep on the shore down here, especially so close to where a human might come by and find you.
Just when they had been about to give up for the day, they turned a corner into a tiny cove. There was Candasar, swimming erratically with her head barely above the water. She appeared to be chasing a naked elf! It was clear that she had lost her mind! That was the kind of behavior that the council was sure to take action against.
Elf was off the menu since the end of the Great War. Everyone knew that! Elves at large tended to respond very badly to eating one of them. The clan elders would stop this crime and then interrogate her regarding the missing young males before bringing her back. He personally would apologize to the elf. Hopefully that would smooth things over for now. She would come willingly, or she would die here!
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Tundor broke out of the trees and onto the beach just in time to see seven large water dragons come around the corner of the cove. His strides stuttered to a stop as he watched the scene unfold before him. Lothinar and Candasar were struggling, still out in the deep water. The elf looked unnaturally exhausted. Candasar had obviously underestimated her newly diminished abilities in the water. She had made a huge mistake in not converting her rear flippers first. She was barely keeping her head up to breathe. He looked on helplessly. Oh no! The elders were here!
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In the temple of the dragon god, the immense female dragon that had been the statue in the courtyard for over 300 years looked down at the priest. He was trying to scoop up the large pile of gold coins in the front folds of his robe.
”’ T-Thank you for your contribution, my Lord Dragon!” he said, failing somehow, even through his terror, to control his greed or acknowledge his crime.
”‘My body was stilled in a type of hibernation, but I have not been truly asleep these many years, you greedy thief! “ said the dragon, her voice a strange and deep musical mystery. “I saw everything!”
Just then, a pair of elves entered the courtyard. The priest's eyes flew open as he saw what could only be the lost sacred sword glow even brighter as the elf neared the dragon.
”Esmerilla, my dear friend, it’s been far too long!“ Crooned the beautiful elf. “I’ve missed you. I’d like to introduce you to my husband Alberad.”
”You got married?”
”At last, I found someone that I can truly love,” replied the elf, smiling at Alberad.
”Well isn’t that wonderful!. I regret the ceremony wasn’t done here in my temple. I could have observed!"
“Well, yes, I’m sorry, dear; he’s from out of town.”
”Yes, I’m certain that had to be the case,” Rumbled the dragon sadly, then brightened. “I’ve got great news! This priest has been collecting a wedding present for you. He’s got it right here!”