Chapter 6: Digital meeting
David was now at his room lying wide awake. Sleep was not coming to him and fatigue was his only companion for what he had just witnessed. In his mind he could remember seeing the death of Kara's father and never truly took it to heart just how painful it must be to see someone die in front of you. Especially if it's someone you loved and cared for. He gets up and starts to pace the room irritably, before he notices the watch again. Then an idea came to him and he presses the button on the upper left corner. At first he was sure nothing had happened, but then he notices he was standing over Macy, who was sleeping peacefully on the ground next to an enormous lizard with a knight in black armor sleeping on the opposite side of the camp ground. He kneels down next to her and tries to touch her, but his hand simply passes through her and distorts, like data bits. He sighs softly and leans in close enough to whisper in her ear.
"M.C. wake up I want to talk." She wakes up just enough to see his figure standing over her with a smile. She gasps and covers her mouth to keep herself from screaming. With a quick motion he nods for the far woods just behind Draco and she follows making sure not to wake up the dragon. When they make it past him, she giggles just a little at the sight of her friend in his nightgown.
"David I was so worried about you."
"So was I. I'm glad I followed your advice and put the watch on otherwise I wouldn't be able to talk to you now." His eyes darken just a little when he looks at the ribbon. "I couldn't sleep so I tried an idea and it worked."
"Where are you?" She asks. His face flusters a little and he scratches his head nervously.
"That's not important at the moment. For now I want you to be careful and promise you'll blend in with the people." His voice was urgent and full of worry. She nods and looks over to the horizon to see the light coming up.
"Well wherever you are… please do the same and try to sleep okay." She tries to touch him with her bandaged hand and he places his cheek on it, surprised that he could feel the warmth of her hand on it. "Good morning." She said before his image bleeped out. She walks back to the camp and sees Draco was still asleep and so was Bowen. With a light shutter she goes a little closer to the fire and warms herself up when she hears the dragon move a little, his paw patting the ground in search of her body near him. He wakes up and sees her sitting near the fire looking back with at him with the same cheerful smile she always seems to wear. He smiles back knowing that she had walked off earlier, but said nothing and just gets up yawning.
"How are you this morning?"
"Swell," She looks away and starts to fiddle with her ribbon again. This starts to make him nervous and he lies down next to her wondering what could be bothering her. "Today will certainly be interesting for you and Bowen."
"Is that so," Draco let an eye ridge go up as his smile widens. "Could you tell me how you knew of that nights' event?" Her face starts to pale a little, her fingers pulling a little more on the ribbon than normal. She looks up at him with a sly look in her eyes.
"If I did tell you…I definitely know you would not believe me." She gets up again and looks towards the rising sun and smiles. "But I will tell this, you will be given a new name by a very close friend."
Draco's eye ridge went up once more. It seemed that anything this girl said would come true.
"Really, how do you know?"
"Just wait and I will tell you in the end."
David finally wakes up just a little from a nap after seeing his friends face. Just like Uncle Roger had said she was with the Dragon Draco and this made him both happy and nervous. Thoughts of Draco being around her made him nervous. What about all of the other stories they saw of dragons killing and eating maidens? With them there in the movie he could try to do just that. He finally shakes the idea out of his head and pays attention to the sun which was now in the middle of the sky. The door opens and this time instead of a maid it was Aislinn. He bows quickly and smiles slightly towards her.
"Good afternoon… your majesty."
"A good afternoon to you as well, young David. ..." Her face was suddenly sad and worried. His smile disappears as he comes closer to her.
"What is wrong ma'am?"
"Your friend, I fear for her safety. My son you see has no true love in his heart and is just as worse as his father. He just wants her for the fact of her beauty and because of you…" David steps back in bewilderment.
"Me…? What did I do the guy?"
"You did nothing. My son is just like that. He wants you to suffer by seeing your friend in his arms and as his wife."
"But that's not right he's going to be going after another girl, Kara. He wants her for his bride." Aislinn gives him a worried look. He takes a seat on the bed and she sits next to him.
"What do you mean another?"
"According to what is suppose to happen, this girl Kara is suppose to drop in tonight during the big feast. She is going to try and kill Einon but it won't work and he'll just take her to the dungeon." His hands were on his head and he rock back and forth. "I don't blame her though. He did kill her dad right after begging him to let him go free." Aislinn stands up and starts to pace back and forth nervously.
"If what you say is true then who knows what he might do to your friend. Do you even know where she is?" David suddenly smiles a little. He comes closer to her just to whisper in her ear.
"She is with the dragon that saved Einon's life twelve years ago." Aislinn pales at the news.
"How do you…" He makes a quick motion with his hands to be quiet just as the door opens and a maid comes in.
"My lord and lady the king wishes to have you in his presence." Both thanks the woman and heads out of the room.
Bowen was counting the amount of gold he had collected from the scheme out loud. Each click for some reason annoyed Macy, but she paid no heed to that and starts to pet the horse they were able to get from a farmer for half the price when he saw her. Draco's wings start to make a swooshing noise as he comes closer to them.
"Twenty eight, twenty nine…most profitable dragon I should have met you a long time ago." He laughs heartily bringing all the gold pieces back into the purse.
"There is much gold in the world. Perhaps when you've had your fill of it you'll no longer need me." His flapping had caused a gust of wind that made her hair fly everywhere, which only causes her to giggle to herself.
"I am a knight of the old code, my word is my bond." Bowen said smiling. He looks to Macy who was straightening her hair out with her bandaged hand. She looks over to him and then at her arm and smiles just little less.
"No compunction then?" Draco calls out flipping in the air. The knight looks up at the dragon.
"About what…?" He asks.
"Well such deception hardly befits a knight of the old code." Bowen just laughs at this.
"Fleecing Einon's lackeys, that is a service to mankind." Draco takes brief landing next to Macy and stands on his hind legs still flapping his wings.
"When you squeeze the nobility, it's the peasants who fill the pinch." Bowen grunts at this especially at the thought of the peasants.
"Why should I stick my neck out for those who won't risk their own? And what does a dragon know of the old code anyways?"
"His blade defends the helpless; his might upholds the weak…" He starts to recite walking on all fours.
"His words speak only truth." Macy interjected making him smile.
"Shut up! I remember…that's all it is just a memory." Bowen grumbles.
"You sound like one who tried." Draco said with a bit of sympathy.
"And failed so I don't go trying to save the world dragon I just live in it."
"Yes…well it's better than death I suppose." Draco said. Bowen turns his head towards Draco who was now looking head.
"I think you would welcome death. You know with all your friends dead, hunted where ever you go." Draco stops dead in his tracks.
"Do you delight in reminding me? Yes knight, I do long for death…but fear it." Macy starts to feel a bit guilty. Even if was just a movie, it was still mankind that had wiped out the dragons.
"Why…besides your misery what's there to lose?" Bowen said stopping his horse.
"My soul." was Draco's reply. Macy could easily feel a lump in her throat at the thought, not only of what his fate was to be, but also of hers and David.
'I wonder if we are at the same risk of disappearing.' She thought. Her eyes darken when she raises her left hand up to her face and glares at it; the thought of disappearing into nothing but data bits seemed as annoying as well as scary. Draco's voice suddenly brings her back to reality.
"Macy what's wrong?" He looks at her with concern. She shakes her head and smiles like she normally does.
"Nothing …I'm fine just… thinking."
"I've been meaning to ask about you girl, Macy right." Bowen said.
"Ask away?" Macy said smiling.
"You don't seem like a normal girl. Where are you from Florence or something?"
"No, if I told you where I came from, you wouldn't believe me."
"Try me girl." He said smugly. She sighs and looks at the sky.
"Okay then, I am from the 21st century. I come from a place called America which according you to this time has yet to exist." Before he opens his mouth Uncle Roger suddenly appears next to them smoking an old pipe with a huge smile on his face. Bowen's horse bucks a little nearly knocking him off.
"Hello there lassie, how are you on this glorious day?"
"Just fine Uncle Roger, how goes the project." She asks smiling. Seeing Bowen's shocked expression made her giggle.
"It goes well and I am glad David was able to get in touch with yah. I was worried he would have gotten lost with my directions."
"You know you do sometimes speak over our heads." Macy admitted. He gives her a chuckle and looks over to the pale face knight.
"You must be Bowen. David truly admires yah, just like Macy admires the dragon."
"Uncle Roger," Macy pouts blushing. "Can you please tell me how far you've gotten with the project?" He takes another puff from his pipe.
"Progress is at a good percentage. Just keep going like you are and you should be fine I hope." He looks over his should at something which makes her worried. "I must go now Lass, please keep up." Then he bleeps out again.
"You believe me now Bowen?" She said smiling. Bowen gives her a slight grunt and nods. Draco gives off a soft chuckle as they head off to the next area.