***************
Chapter 16
***************
Cantrell and Ardwella had come to at least a temporary verbal truce regarding the ethical complications of making friends with dragons. What she had said about the eggs had shaken his faith a little. The reclusive elven high council had created the wardens and assigned them to watch over this sensitive area as primarily an endangered species preserve. Cardell was thinking about main job objectives:
1. To keep elves that lived in the area and elves in general safe from “elf eating” dragons.
2. To keep the water dragon population in the lake stable and protected.
3. To keep their eyes on the growing human population in the area
4, To oversee the diversity of plants, animals and fish that keep the area in balance and healthy
The dragon population was down by three more today. Large old males, which ought to make the fish happy, he thought. Strangely during the conflict, the dragons had stopped but not directly attacked Lothinar while he was in the water. It was almost like they thought they were protecting him from Candasar. It had all happened pretty fast, and it was too easy to misjudge intent.
Apparently, Candasar had killed a couple of younger ones in self-defense a few days ago, too. Somehow, these water dragons seemed overly prone to violence and killing their own. They seemed to have lost some self-restraint when they gained flippers. Maybe it was eating fish. Tundor, a diminished version of the original type, seemed a lot smarter and more reasonable. He did have to admit that with those, his experiences were limited.
Cantrell had a few things to think through before he took action. Things were complicated. But he knew from painful experience that the best way to fight a forest fire is to stop it before it started. Right now, he was playing with matches.
No one quite knew what to do next. Ardwella and Alberad stood together on one part of the rocky beach. Cantrell and Ardwynn stood several yards away on another.
Lothinar stood rather awkwardly between the four. He suddenly found himself terrified to move, afraid any physical repositioning would send an unintentional message regarding his political intent in all of this.
It was Tundor that saved him. The young dragon, seeming to have a greater sensitivity to the situation than it seemed possible, walked over and plopped down in front of him, looking him in the eyes.
"Wings on a dragon sure look great, huh?" he said with a sad smile.
Lothinar looked at Tundors boneless flaps and could only nod. "Thanks for coming over to talk to me Tundor, "I'm feeling a little confused about what to do with myself right now"
"Well, it's obvious, right? On one side, you've got your friends, and on the other, your parents. To make it worse they all have very different hopes and expectations for you. Especially Ardwynn. You know she's in love with you, right?
Lothinar blinked. "There is something going on there, I suppose.”
"I thought maybe you hadn't noticed. I know nothing about the breeding habits of elves, but even Candasar thinks that one is pretty obvious"
"Yeah, it's complicated"
"How?"
"Well, she works with me. She's kind of one of the guys"
"She's definitely not one of the guys!" said Tundor "Even I can see that"
"Maybe it's because she comes on so strong, It’s pretty intimidating “
"Did you know her for a while before she started coming on strong like that?"
"Uh, well, sure"
"Maybe she found the "waiting for you" approach was not working for her and had to try something different."
Lothinar looked awkwardly towards her hoping that their conversation was quiet enough that she wasn't listening in. She had actually walked over to his mother. From what he could tell, they were discussing Ardwella's fighting leathers again.
It looked like Cantrell had headed a short distance up into the forest and was picking up dead wood. Maybe he wanted to make a fire. There were some really tasty large mushrooms in the area that would make some good steaks. Wardens were good at living off the land. His dad was watching the two women talk with a face that said he wanted to look supportive but couldn't care less about the subject matter. Nod and smile.
"Anyway", Tundor continued, Candasar has always had strong goals. Even though, at first, I felt like she was indifferent to me personally in achieving them..."
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
"Just someone to fertilize eggs?"
"Right! But I've come to realize that when Candasar made that goal, she also made a choice to commit her life to the individual who would accomplish it with her." I could get upset that she didn't specifically know it was ‘me’ when the goal was made, but it doesn't change much of anything now that she has committed. Look at her, two flippers, two legs. Although I know you healed her earlier, she has done most of those changes herself. To share in my kind of life. A life on legs. If she was willing to go through that, I think that I can count on her being there for me.
She turned around to fight those males today to try and let me escape," said Lothinar.
"There were just too many of them. It didn't work. That's about the time I got involved," added the young dragon. "Anyway, what I think I'm trying to say is that Ardwynn seems to have made that kind of commitment to you. Except that you didn't want to notice. "
"My life is pretty complicated right now without adding in a girlfriend"
"She keeps getting louder and louder, trying to get your attention. If you keep ignoring it......"
"I'm going to do permanent damage," said the elf
"And probably lose something precious “
"I will talk to her," promised Lothinar.
Just then, Esmarilla returned, and although it was impossible to miss a flying black dragon, she added to her entrance by bringing the other two dragons some dinner.
She had gone off to eat and, on her way back, had spooked a deer herd, snatching up one to share. Since he hadn't really even met her yet, Tundor considered that extremely considerate. He could imagine, though, that the deer probably did not. The sun had not set, although it was low in the sky. She had the stag gripped in her talons as she flew over, casting a deep and indecipherable shadow. She dropped it a few yards from them with a huge thump. That should be nice and tender, thought Tundor.
She swung around once more on her great wings before making a running landing that didn’t look easy. She then sat off by herself and to the side, obviously unsure about how she fit in. Once she was down, Candasar completely ignored the deer and wobble-hopped as fast as she could toward the enormous female. Tundor grimaced as he watched Candasar struggle half-legged and half-flippered as she moved toward Esmarilla. She finally stopped and stared up in awe at the great black Dragoness. Tundor walked over to join them.
"Hello, Children, Esmarilla said, her voice wondrous and deep. "It looks like you have had a hard day!"
Candasar still had bites and abrasions across her back from the fight with the males just a few hours ago.
"It doesn't matter now that I have seen you, my queen. You have made me hope again in a future for our people!"
"There are not many of us left, Esmarilla said, but from what I can see in your hearts, you are as worthy of the name Dragon as any that have gone before you. Tell me your story. Both of you.
———————————-
While the dragons started talking, Lothinar walked over to stand next to his parents and Ardwynn. She finished her sentence and turned to look at him.
“You are back”
“Yeah, um. I was talking with Tundor”
”What was on the dragon’s mind?”
”Well, lots of things, actually, but one of his big concerns was surprisingly about us.”
”Us?” She said with a strange look on her face. “That kind of us? I didn’t think there actually was an…..us.”
”Well, he said I was being an idiot.”
‘Ardwynn suddenly turned to his mother and said, “Do you know that I love dragons?”
”So do I, dear, so do I.” She said, smiling. “But Lothinar, before you have the conversation that I think you are going to have with Ardwynn, there are a couple of things you, uh, well, both of you probably need to know “
“You’re going to stop him now?” Squeeked Ardwynn. “This was getting interesting, and I really wanted to hear what he was going to say”
”Well, your response kind of illustrates the things I intend to tell you about,” said Ardwella.
“Please don’t stop him now! He even said that he had been an idiot. That was way too promising. He even said the word US!”
”I know, dear, and he probably will again…..”
”The idiot part, for sure,” interjected his father grinning. He had been standing there taking it all in.
”I really only care about the us part. I’ve been chasing him for a long time “
“I know that as beautiful as your mother is, Lothinar, that it might be hard to believe that I was oblivious too. For a long time before we got married, “ said Alberad.
“You have no idea, sweetheart,” said his mother.
Lothinar stood here with his head spinning. This was not how he thought this conversation would go. He was way too young to get married!
“Let me explain something first before we go much further here,” said his mother with a very strange look on her face”
”I’m listening, Just letting you know, if he’s asking me to marry him, I’m probably saying yes, regardless, “ interrupted Ardwynn
Lothinar gawked
”Well, hear me out anyway,” his mother continued….then asked a question.
“Husband?”
” Yes, Wife,” answered Albarad, slightly surprised.
”While we were sprinting over to the human town, did you notice anything strange?”
”That’s quite a way. Did you say sprinting?” Asked Lothinar
”We briefly stopped once, but sprinting is definitely accurate, and of course, I noticed something. Your speed and stamina are off the charts impossible, “ said Albarad.
“Well, if we do that run tomorrow, you would probably beat me”
”Why’s that….oh.. Esmerella is awake now. You said something about channeling her power”
”Yes, and she has been hibernating for a very long time. Longer than Lothinar’s been born.”
”So while you were carrying me….” said Lothinar
”Even before that, actually, when my ovum was becoming mature, while my Uterus was preparing for fertilization, A dragon’s power was making changes, and while you were a baby growing inside of me…”
”He’s part dragon? Asked Ardwynn with a strange worried look on her face.
”Haha, no, dear, not at all.” Let’s just say he’s the best elf he can be, well that’s ever been. Probably. I don’t think anyone can imagine how powerful his magic could become.” Ardwella said, smiling. “He’s probably going to live a very long time”
”No wonder I can’t seem to resist him….”Muttered Ardwynn.
”Well, you’re going to have to try a little bit longer!” Said Cantrell walking up. He had made a small fire on the beach, and the smell of smoke and broiling mushrooms wafted up with him. The Food is almost ready."
‘Thank you, Cantrell, that was very considerate of you. If you can wait just a couple of minutes, I’ll make some tea.”
“I’ll get some fresh needles while you put on the water,” said Ardwynn
”Thank you, it will go faster. I kind of got distracted talking, “ said Ardwella
”Hey,” asked Ardwynn. How was dragon-enhanced childbirth?
“Very, very easy as you might expect,” Ardwella answered. “That’s why I am kind of nervous about next time”
”Next time?” Came the strangled voice of Alberad.
”Yes, dear, we have a few more things to talk about.”
The mushroom steaks were delicious.