Disclaimer: My wishing star has issues

Summary: Remember Einon and Bowen's confrontation at the waterfall? And Bowen's blade came to rest on Einon's back as he shouted lessons? But he didn't hurt the tyrant king...here's a what if he did...


AN: Don't know if this is worth going any further, it would probably be only a couple of chapters long...if it goes past this chapter I may add OC's...


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When Kara returned with an armful of herbs wrapped in her dress, she could use her shawl for bandages if need be, she found Bowen lying against Draco's side, the dragon humming softly to keep Bowen's focus.

The dragon was heavy lidded as he shifted, groaning as he realized she was there.

"Tend to Bowen, Kara."

The dragon let his head drop once more, wincing but didn't cry out.

She went to Bowen's side, the man having draped his forearm over his eyes, the hand pressed a rag on his wound, already soaked through.

"Umm..."

Bowen shifted at her voice, "Draco..."

The dragon obliged, unfolding his wing to lower the claw that grew from one of the major joints, Bowen gripped it and pulled himself up, the dragon not even blinking, only moaning a little as the movement jarred his wound.

Kara watched the knight stagger to sit on a rock, a bit away from Draco and in the light, which was severely limited in the cave.

"Can you get back outside? It's too damp for the herbs and too dark to work."

Bowen nodded, mumbling something about his horse before rushing out under the water, ducking to keep his wound clear.

"Draco?"

"Not yet Kara, can't sit up at the moment." The dragon mumbled, then winced as Kara prodded the already swollen flesh, releasing more blood.

Until Bowen was cared for the dragon didn't move to give her better access to the wound, only allowed her to press moss into the wound to stem the bleeding before twisting a little to tell Kara to go to the knight.

The dragon dozed while she left, going to Bowen as he awkwardly tended to his stallion one handed, albeit at that rather oddly since it was his injured arm, the other still applying pressure to his shoulder.

"Here, let me see."

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Einon dozed in a rather hazed state, his necked ached from being bent oddly but he couldn't lie on his back without screaming.

Bowen had actually hurt him, he thought he'd never see the day when his mentor's temper would get the better of him.

As Einon pondered his early years of training, bouncing around from knight to lord and back again, his education starting at five and then being taken over properly by Bowen at seven, the door to his chamber opened and admitted his mother, a bowl and clean cloth in her hands as she approached.

"How are you feeling?"

"Sore."

The answer came too fast, entirely incorrect, but he didn't care.

"Mm...give this wound time my son, it will heal." There was more than one wound she spoke of, his back, Bowen, that girl...

Einon was almost willingly to agree with her, after a few hours, now late afternoon, the pain had numbed thanks to Aislinn's salves; but then shooting agony startled him to the point of screaming his throat hoarse.

xxx

Bowen wanted to slap his forehead if it didn't mean jarring his shoulder.

Kara had cared for it quite well and as he lay on a sun soaked rock while Kara fussed over their cook fire, that had been slow to the start since they'd used flint and steel to start it, Bowen didn't complain.

He was more concerned over how far his stallion could yank his good arm out of its socket as it pranced nervously.

Bowen finally just let him loose, the horse snorting and jogging a little further away before settling.

The horse only spooked at Draco's sharp cry as the dragon ducked under the water, finally coming to a stop by collapsing next to Bowen, sides heaving and groaning heavily.

"How idiotic can you get?" The knight snapped, but reached a hand out to Draco's nose, the beast moving obligingly and settling soon after.

Kara watched them, a bit confused as Draco stiffly moved his wings, the powerful shoulders rippling to a certain extent, then the wound made him grimace.

"Keep still, it won't hurt as badly." Bowen commanded, earning a grunt but the massive wings, looking entirely too delicate that could hold the massive creature attached to them aloft with ease, stilled and folded themselves away from his shoulders, draping over his slightly shivering sides.

The dragon was completely at ease next to the dragonslayer, to the point where Kare was sure only pain was keeping Draco from sleep.

"Draco? Now may I?"

The dragon grunted slightly, opening his eyes before nodding a little, just enough for Kara to see.

She grabbed a spare rag soaked in cool river water, moving to the dragon and slowly peeling the moss off, trying not to create anymore reason for the dragon to shift and wince than he already was.

Draco's shoulders came level with her head, making it difficult to fully see the wound, Kara tried not to show this, but after realizing she had missed an entire section of the wound with moss, she sighed loudly.

Bowen was the one to react, "What's wrong?"

Kara ignored how fast he sat up to turn to her, "I can't reach."

Bowen chuckled then got up, guiding Kara back a few feet, "Draco, do her a favor and roll onto your side."

The dragon complied, twisting his neck to be able to somewhat see.

"Kara."

"Yes?"

"The only thing you should know is that you can't put a poultice or the like under any scales, and I wouldn't suggest any pain reducers."

"But Draco, you're in-"

"I know." The dragon snapped, then recovered, "Sorry, but if you do I won't be able to move for quite awhile, unless I swallow it the wound goes completely numb for hours."

Kara sighed, but obliged, setting Bowen to cleaning the gash, while she had had her doubts of whether Draco had actually hit his spine on the cave ceiling, Bowen getting bits of rocks from crevices in the scales proved Draco's claim.

"Why, or more correctly how did you hit the ceiling? That must've taken a bit." Bowen asked softly, rousing Draco from a half doze that could have all too easily slide into pure unconsciousness.

"Saw the dagger in Einon's hand...*growl*...made to stop him from getting you heart...*wince*...was...too far back on the ledge...didn't...ohh...duck...*gasp*...far enough..."

Draco trailed off with a deep moan, eyes squeezing shut.

Bowen paused to let Draco recover, but also from the heavy concern in the dragon's tone, he choked a little, glad Kara had moved to the river shore to mix the poultice.

"...thanks...Draco..."

A soft chuckle was his response, then a wince as Bowen gently prodded the gash; the swelling had gone down thanks to the cool water as Bowen had cleaned it, but the knight didn't like the nasty red color that threatened to glow at any minute.

Draco had just settled to lie a bit more comfortably, when Kara walked over, the poultice laid out on her shawl as the only thing they had long enough to drape over the wound without prolonging the dragon's pain.

Bowen grabbed the end that would go the farthest over, motioning to wait until Draco's eyes had closed, then the two pressed it in.

And Draco barely bit back his harsh cry, rolling back onto his stomach and stretching his neck out, moaning deeply.

"Oohhh Dearr..."

A low growl trailed off the dragon's words, the muscles stilling but tightening as Draco's forepaws clenched into fists strong enough to crush a horse.

Bowen gently patted the dragon's neck, backing off as the bright orange/amber eyes grew too heavy for the dragon and slid shut, Draco's head lolling a little to one side.

"He'll sleep for a few hours, at least until it cools down this evening." Bowen thought aloud, Kara nodding then taking a step back as the placid horse wandered back to the knight, nudging the man's hand with his nose.

Kara watched Draco sleep for a moment, then turned to the dragonslayer.

"Now why were you in my village, hmm? How is it that you two know each other?"


Ugh, My muse hates me!

Tada! Probably one more chapter after this, we'll see what happens!