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Chapter 45

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The little dragon Firestorm was bored. Her mother had taken the two pretty elf ladies for a quick trip to the other end of the lake. Of course, she wanted to go, but her mother had said no. Instead, Firestorm was told to wait around the boring nest. She had spent the time watching the "water dragons" swimming around. A lot was going on, including fishing and minor fighting, but none of it interested her. Nobody had wings. She would like to practice her hopping and flying. Two more eggs rested in the nest next to her broken shell. They were future brothers or sisters. They were no fun at all right now. It was getting a little chilly. Mother should have been back by now. The little dragon let out a little burst of warmth. She did not use a flame, just comforting heat. She directed it at her future siblings. She was sure Mother would appreciate her keeping them warm. Where was Daddy?

She absentmindedly flicked out the last remaining part of her old shell and watched as it swirled in the water and sank. Her mother, Aleena, had warned her not to fly off like yesterday, right after that handsome elf Lothinar had given her new wings. When her mother left, she asked another younger female water dragon to watch the nest and keep an eye on Firestorm. The water dragon's name was Penelope. Penelope liked to suck up to Firestorm's mother and do her favors because Aleena was now on the elder council. However, Penelope was ignoring Firestorm and flirting with a young male water dragon that had swum by. From what Firestorm had overheard, his name was Rolf. Rolf must have said something wrong because Penelope turned and swam away from him and returned to the nest in a huff. Rolf swam away angrily. He was muttering something.

"All he wanted was for me to try and use my influence with your mother to get him higher up the list." Said Penelope angrily.

"What list? Asked Firestorm.

"The list to determine when individual dragons get their wings. It's an unofficial one," said Penelope. "I must be near the top after watching you for HOURS! Where is your mother?"

"My father should be back soon," said Firestorm. "He always comes around this time. Who keeps this list? What would we even use to write it on? Did you know Lothinar's mom has a dragon that writes? She is black. I wonder if only black dragons can write….."

"I don't think I have the time or the patience to explain everything to children," interrupted Penelope. "Perhaps I should put off motherhood for a few more years. I can be unobtainable and mysterious like Candasar was."

"I know Candasar," said Firestorm. "She and Lothinar gave me these wings!"

"Did you realize that he has gone missing? Nobody can find him, even Candasar. She can't even find him through the bond."

"I know where he is! said Firestorm excitedly. "Candasar should ask me! He finished moving a little while ago. He is far away, but I can still sense him. He is in a little cabin way up in the mountains. He's sleeping now."

"Children sure have vivid imaginations," said Penelope.

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Esmarilla had been frustrated by the quick departure of Ardwella and Candasar. The smaller blue dragon still had the luxury of using several different doors to get outside. Esmarilla had to use the large main gate. Ardwella also couldn't seem to wait. She and Candasar had left the temple together to fly to the dairy farm. Ardwella had done the unusual thing of riding her son's dragon. They wanted to see if Cantrell's suspicions about Ronette were correct, and time was of the essence. If she had been exposed to Lothinar, she might have become obsessed with him enough to spirit him away. Esmarilla hoped that they would at least find out what happened to Lothinar. As soon as she could get out of these narrow passageways full of enthusiastic dragon worshippers, she would fly to the dairy farm and catch up with them there.

Esmarilla had never even made it to McDonald's farm. Once airborne, She had felt an unfathomable psychic wail of anguish echoing down the lake from the elven side. Feeling she must investigate, she had veered from her course and, in just a few minutes, found Mavis's dragon, Aleena, screaming in fury and dragging herself toward a cluster of nearby homes. Her stumpy fins were very ineffective as she tried to run across land.

"He killed her! He killed her!" was all Aleena could say. Nothing else was coming out. She had stopped moving forward. Her jaws clenched in fury and unseen effort. Esmarilla recognized the area. They were near Ardwella's house. It was also where Mavis and Ardwynn had been going to search for Lothinar. Esmarilla's blood ran cold.

Leaping ahead, she arrived at a horrible scene. Beyond the broken and snapped clothesline, the elf Mavis lay on the ground just off her back porch. Mavis's neck was bent at an impossible angle. She wasn't bleeding much, but it was clear she had been thrown violently around. It was now still. What was strange was that her eyes were moving about rapidly. Her face looked terrified! Esmarilla was surprised. There was no way that this elf should still be alive!

Esmarilla bent close to try and make out what she was sending. It was weak and barely reached her.

"Ardwynn! Evil. Traitor. She made Tundor attack me. She said she is taking him to Argent."

"How are you alive?" asked Esmarilla.

"Aleena!" She's giving me her magic. It won't be long. Not much left! We will die together!"

"I'm sorry, Black dragons can not directly heal. I require an intermediary. There is nothing I can do!"

"I... Understand. Thanks for being here with me."

Mavis's eyes began to blink. Water leaked out. They started to close. Esmarilla suddenly realized that she could not this happen!

"VANADOR! I NEED YOU! COME QUICKLY!"

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The dairy looked quiet from the air. Ardwella clung tightly to the neck of the blue dragon. It had been so long since she had ridden any dragon but Esmarilla. It was kind of nice to cling to a smaller neck. Esmarilla required a pretty wide stance. It tended to chafe her thighs, especially in her leather skirt.

It was also more difficult to ride any dragon now that the baby had started showing.

Candasar dropped rapidly for a landing. The cows were milling about. It didn't seem normal. Also, they were mooing oddly.

"I don't recall them making quite that noise before," said Candasar.

"I'm no expert on cows, but I suspect that they haven't been milked." said Ardwella. "Speaking as someone who has been a mother, unused milk can get fairly uncomfortable. A dairyman never lets his cows go un-milked. It signals to the animal to reduce the production. They dry up. That's not a good business decision for him. It probably means Lothinar is here somewhere!"

In the barn, they found the dairyman. McDonald was trussed up tightly. His hands and feet were tied behind his back. He was swearing furiously. He stopped when he saw them come in.

"Thank the gods someone's here! I never saw it coming. "Ronette, my wife, hit me from behind with a manure shovel! Of all the sneaky underhanded tricks!"

"Have you seen my son?" Asked Ardwella as she pulled a small knife from her boots and reached down to cut his bonds. The rope parted instantly.

"Yes, Lothinar, your son was here. He looked hurt or possibly drugged," said McDonald.

"He's alive!" said Candasar excitedly.

"Thanks for cutting me loose! McDonald said, standing unsteadily and then rubbing his wrists. It looks like the wagon is gone. And one of the bulls. Your guess is as good as mine, where she's gone off to. Lothinar looked like he was out of it, though. What happened to him? He was sleeping or unconscious when I saw him. I didn't see much! The damn manure shovel took care of that! What is that woman thinking?"

"Could she be a spy or an assassin for the Emperor?" asked Ardwella.

"No chance. Ronette hates the elven emperor! He apparently killed some of her family. It was a long time ago."

"How did your son come to be with her? It didn't look like he was here on purpose..." asked McDonald.

"There was an accident while he was healing someone. He passed out," said Ardwella. "Do you know where she might have taken him?

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"No idea, She's not originally from around here. I can't believe I was betrayed!"

McDonald looked at Ardwella again. It looked like he was doing an appraisal. She obviously passed. Whatever criteria he was using clearly recognized Ardwella's beauty.

"Too bad you're married." Then he looked down. "And pregnant."

"I'm too old for you anyway," said Ardwella. There was no hint of a smile. "How long were you tied up?" she asked.

"I'm not totally sure since I was knocked out. It had to be hours. She could have gone quite a ways. They have a big head start on you even if you can fly on that thing," McDonald said as he rolled his eyes toward Candasar, who was standing in the doorway to the barn.

"That thing is named Candasar. She is Lothinar's dragon and a person. We are both very interested in anything you might know about this."

"Oh yeah, almost forgot. She's been saying for a while that her sister married a king or something. That's a likely story! The sister is supposed to be coming to visit soon. If there is any truth to it at all, then I'm sure Ronette will come back for that. It seemed important to her to see her sister again."

"We will keep looking," said Ardwella.

"If you find them and get your boy back, tell Ronette to keep going. I'll never take her back.

"McDonald." Ardwella said coldly.

"What now?" the man snapped.

"Your cows need milking," said Ardwella.

"Double damn. I hate milking cows! That's the only other thing that woman was good for"

He walked out into the yard. The cows crowded around him.

"I don't know", said Candasar to Ardwella as they also left the barn. "What he said didn't seem fair. Ronette was a good swimmer and excellent at what Cantrell called mouth-to-mouth resuscitation."

"You just can't please some men," said Ardwella. "Well, unless you are talking about 'that other thing." I'm pretty good at that."

"Let's just hope she is being good to Lothinar," said Candasar.

"The pheromones will practically guarantee it," said Ardwella.

Ardwella climbed back on Candasar. Then Candasar felt her tense up.

"Oh no!" Said Ardwella. "We need to get back right away. Esmarilla just contacted me. Something terrible has happened. Stay calm, Candasar. Tundor attacked Mavis. He broke her neck. Vanador is working on her now, but it doesn't look good!"

"Tundor wouldn't do that!" exclaimed Candasar. "There is just no way!"

"Ardwynn has shown her true colors. She has forcibly taken control of Tundor through the bond. I don't think Tundor had a choice!"

Candasar jumped into the air scattering the cows. One of them kicked over McDonald's milk bucket. She could hear him cursing as she flew away.

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Lothinar awoke with sunlight streaming through the window of a small bedroom. The bed that he was lying on was very comfortable and covered with quilts. He was between the brightly colored covers. The patterns of the quilts were odd and showed pictures of sea shells and tall sailing boats with full sails. He didn't remember how he had come to be here. He could hear the noise of pans rattling and the sound of someone moving about. A bright and beautiful face attached to a beautiful body walked into the bedroom bringing in the smells of delicious sizzling vegetables. The human girl smiled warmly and sincerely. No, not human, he thought. No, not completely elf, either. She must be half elf. This was so strange. She spoke elvish so he answered in the same.

"I've made us some breakfast, dear. Are you feeling better? Are you hungry?"

He grunted in affirmation.

"Yes, I think I can keep something down."

He went to climb out and realized that he was naked. He froze, not knowing what to do. Who was this woman to him? Should he allow himself to be seen naked in front of her?

"Oh, I removed your clothes and washed them... Just a minute."

She returned with his clothes. They were folded in a neat pile. She held them out to him.

She looked down, seemingly embarrassed.

"I can leave while you change into them. If you want me to..." Then she blushed.

"I'm sorry, I'm still a little groggy and confused," He said, looking out from under the covers. "Maybe you could help me with your name. Perhaps it will jog my memory somehow"

"Are you serious? You don't know who I am?"

"No, I'm afraid I don't"

"Of course," she said with a sad smile. "You've been through a lot. You were drowning, but I saved you. Then you were unconscious. There might be after-effects"

"Well, thanks are in order I guess. Maybe I hit my head or something... Who am I thanking?"

She giggled, then grew serious.

She looked forlorn somehow. Conflicted.

"My name is Ronniflass. I am the daughter of an elven ambassador. Our family fled to the human island of Savintra when the dragons were defeated" My mother was killed by the emperor's soldiers during the battles. My father married again on the island. He married a human wife. I am a half-elf. But you really should know all this."

"And who owns this bed that I am sleeping in?" he asked pleasantly.

"I guess I do, and my sister. We are staying in my father's ancestral home.

"I am very pleased to meet you, Ronniflass. Thank you for saving me, I guess, and for the breakfast. Oh, and the clothes you washed for me."

"Now, if you would be so kind as to tell me who I am?"

Her eyes got very big.

"You are Lothinar, my fiancee' You do not know your own name?"

Lothinar tried to process this. He knew somehow that he had been in love. This woman's face seemed very familiar. Lothinar pulled back the covers, stood up, and pulled on his pants. Then his shirt. She didn't seem bothered by it at all. Her eyes drank him in.

"Do I like dragons too? It really seems like I must. I am thinking about a little red dragon a lot for some reason"

She looked a little puzzled by that but then quickly smiled again.

"I've seen you with a little red one like that before"

"I'm sure it will all come back to you soon," she said.

"How about some delicious breakfast" she asked with a bigger smile.

"I'm sure we will get to the table eventually," he said.

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Firestorm had been yelling and shouting at him, but he didn't seem to be able to hear her. That frustrated her. It frustrated her a lot. Her mother hadn't come back, and, to make matters worse, Penelope had taken off.

"Your father will be back any minute, I'm sure." She had said. then she just left.

Firestorm flexed her wings and gave them another flap. She lifted off the ground a little more every time she did it. It was time. She was done waiting. She was going to find her bond. She had eaten all the cow pieces her father had left for her yesterday. It was going to be a long way for someone as small as her, but she was crystal clear on exactly where he was. She could see it perfectly. It was like a map in her brain. She took a running start and lifted into the air, flung her wings wide, and began to glide. She did it again. She went farther every time.

"I'm coming, Lothinar!" she chirped in her little voice. "Don't worry, I will find you!"

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The great white dragon was glowing. The black one next to him was grey as ash. Power flashed and surged as the siblings pushed power into the dying elf girl. Her neck fracture had been the easiest part. The nerves that had been severed had to be meticulously reattached and grown together before her lungs would ever work again. Her bloodstream was full of toxins that had built up in minutes since her spine had been severed. Only the fading magic of Aleena had kept Mavis alive long enough for the other two dragons to make a start in healing her.

Now tragically, Aleena seemed even closer to death than Mavis. Aleena had truly given her all. Someone had gotten word to Mo-Rung. He had come crashing through and around trees, as he arrived at his mate's side. She looked up at him, said something softly to him only, and then the light went out of her eyes.

Ardwella stood by with Candasar, They had flown in from the dairy to watch a spectacle that she hoped to never see again. Around them had gathered most of the elves involved. Siophra and Cantrell were also there.

"They must have come on Vanador". Ardwella thought.

Mo-Rung was just sitting there. He had a terrible look on his face.

"Do dragons always die when their bonds do? asked Cantrell.

"That is often the case," said Ardwella. "An exceptionally strong elf or dragon will sometimes survive alone. I think more elves die when the bond breaks than dragons, If that makes you want to change your mind about bonding"

The warden nodded. "I'm still thinking about it. Things have changed."

"It looks like Aleena was the one who made the choice of who would die this time." Said Siophra. She poured all her life force into Mavis. She held nothing back. I must have seriously misjudged the girl if Aleena felt so strongly about her. Perhaps she has a destiny"

"Do dragons have some sort of precognition about destiny?" asked Cantrell, intrigued.

"My own Grandfather Lothinex thought so," said Siophra. "As far as we know, most of the old dragons except those bonded to me and Ardwella are dead, so there is no one to ask about such things anymore"

"You know that the number of dragons and elves that have bonded is actually a very low number. There are not a lot of good statistics," said Ardwella, watching the big dragons as they continued to heal Mavis. The glow was starting to fade slightly from Vanador.

"If it was widely known that as a downside of a long life, you risk immediate death if your bond dies, then I bet a lot less pairing would occur," said Candasar.

"What you are seeing now is definitely an upside. Mavis really should be dead. Dragons have given her another chance at life." said Ardwella.

"White dragons like Vanador, and yes, Tundor are by far the best healers". That's the only thing that is making this attempt possible at all." said Siophra.

Mavis was breathing on her own now.

"They are always born in pairs. A black and a white," said Ardwella. "The white gets all the ability to heal. The black gets none. She has more power, and of course, that can be used for healing, but she can only use it through a suitable vessel. In this case, her brother Vanador. I'm actually not that great at healing myself. That's why I set out to make Lothinar the way he is."

"I'm sure he appreciates all you gave him right about now," Cantrell said with a strange frown. "Getting kidnapped because of his pleasing male scent"

"Why can you not leave this alone?" asked Ardwella, grimacing.

"I guess it's still eating at me for some reason," said Cantrell. "It's hard to let it go."

Candasar tactfully tried to change the subject.

"What happened to Tundor's sibling? If they are always in pairs, then where is the black dragon he would have been born with?"

"Probably in an omelet by now," said Ardwella sadly.

"How could I forget?" said Candasar. "The emperor will pay. I promise you,"

"We are in agreement about that. I made that promise a long time ago. I intend to keep it". said Ardwella.

"I think I'm beginning to understand you better every day, Lothinar's mother," said the blue dragon.

Ardwella managed a smile. "Few have seen what you are seeing now. This is one for the history books"

Mavis coughed severely several times. Then she sat up. The glow surrounding her and the white dragon finally stopped.

The elf girl stood and tottered over to the place where her dragon Aleena was lying and gazed into her lifeless eyes.

She fell to her knees and began to weep inconsolably. Cantrell went over to kneel beside her. He held her and hugged her but it was like he was invisible.

"I'm really worried Lothinar might be dead. Said Candasar. I really can't feel him at all! but somehow, I'm still alive!"

"Something has definitely changed. said Siophra. Perhaps he completely burned out his magic. Maybe it will come back. It might not be that bad. Let's try to keep our spirits up, A life was saved today"

"And a life was lost. I had better go and collect little Firestorm. I'll raise her as my own if Mo-Rung will allow it. She will need a mother who can fly."

"Tonight, we must mourn Aleena. Tomorrow we will go looking for my son."

Candasar returned to Aleena's nest. It felt very strange to be there and not see her. Much to her dismay, Firestorm was not there. The eggs were barely warm. She sighed and seated herself gingerly upon the nest of her dead cousin and began protecting and warming her unborn children. Young Firestorm could not have gone far.

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