Travelers
Zalaya stood in the doorway of a great cavern and starred in awe. There was light, but there were no fires. The walls and ceilings glowed with a bluish light and it was beautiful. The floor was like polished stone and it was carved into elaborate designs. The air was surprisingly fresh in here and yet it was warm. Then she heard movement and she strained to see the far end of the cavern. There she saw him, like a great blue monster with outstretched wings and a long barbed tail. He seemed a little lethargic as he straightened up and stretched his clawed arms out. He yawned, showing the rows of razor sharp teeth and then belched out a puff of flames. The room lit up brighter then, and she could see that he was the only one here. How strange that there should be only one dragon. Perhaps there were more in another chamber. She took a deep breath, steeled herself against the myriad of fears that plagued her, and marched toward the waking dragon. If nothing else, he would make her a meal and put her out of her misery.
Skrug smelled the human before he could see it. His eyes scanned the room and found a tiny female approaching boldly. He smirked at the brazen nerve of a human entering the domain of the dragons and his mouth salivated at the thought of a little snack after waking. She stared at him without fear, and it gave him pause. Perhaps he'd see what this little woman was about… and then he'd eat her.
"My lord dragon, I am Zalaya, the last Morzethu of the land of Forodwaith. Where are your Kin?" she asked.
"My family lay to slumber here with me, they must have risen early," Skrug said lightly. "Who sent you in here to settle my rumbling stomach? Was it Smaug I must thank for the entertaining morsel?" Skrug asked.
"No indeed, Smaug has long since perished in the shadow of the Lonely Mountain. You have slept here for many winters, ages have come and gone," Zalaya said. "Is there another chamber within?"
Skrug sat back on his haunches and bowed his long neck over so that his face came very near to where she stood. He could easily lean a little closer and eat her, but something held him back. He studied her for a moment and felt absolutely no fear from her. How very impressive for a human.
"You do not fear me. Why?" he asked.
"I am Morzethu. My ancestors have spoken to the beasts for ages. If it were my wish, I could command you to do my will. But I would sooner have your respect and friendship than your mindless obedience. Your kind have been kept prisoner here for too long. I came to release you; that is why you have awakened."
"Where are the others?" he asked her with angry eyes.
"I do not know. I know only that my father is dead and you are the only living dragon in the cavern. It appears that you are the last of your kind, Lord Dragon. I am sorry," she said sincerely.
Skrug sniffed her a moment, looking her over with extreme scrutiny. "So you have the power to command me you say? Perhaps I should eat you, and then my freedom is assured. What say you to that Mor-ze-thu?"
Zalaya didn't move a muscle or show him fear of any kind; she simply closed her eyes and sang a few simple Lossoth words, "Zomndi la dozenmiai morr tzae tguruzzz…"
Skrug drew his long neck upright and his wings folded abruptly. His claws flew up to his ears and he gasped in frustration and pain as he fought to maintain control, but her voice grew bolder and he had to obey, he simply had no choice. He sat back on all fours, and rested his head on the floor in front of her in a submissive prone position. When he finally obeyed, her song stopped.
"I came to help you and yet you test me," she said sadly. "You are a rare and magnificent creature of the old world. I do not wish to command you or any other animal. I would rather be your friend."
Skrug grunted as he lay hunched over against the cold floor. He could hardly open his mouth, but managed to grunt through clenched teeth. "Release me woman, I'll not harm you."
Zalaya sang a few notes and whispered a command, and Skrug relaxed and slowly sat up. He stared at her with respect before addressing her again.
"Who imprisoned us here?" he asked.
"The Forodwaith people of old walled up this den and lulled your kind into a deep sleep. Since then, one with the gift has stayed to continue the spell down through the ages. My father was the last to guard the exit with his voice, but he is gone. I am the last to take on the role as guardian of the Great ones. I came to release all of you, but I find that you are the last," Zalaya said. "It was my hope that there could be peace between us."
Skrug's stomach rumbled again and he felt another burp in his throat. He turned away from her as the burst of fire escaped him. "Woman, I cannot speak of such great matters on an empty stomach. If you do not offer yourself to me in the interest of peace, then step aside. I haven't eaten for ages," Skrug said.
"The caribou gather not far from here this time of year," Zalaya said. "Their herds have grown these past few years and could stand a little thinning. I ask only that you do not harm those you do not intend to eat," she said. "But the entry has been closed…"
"That is not the entry," Skrug said as he looked straight up.
Zalaya could see a void in the ceiling. She stared up through what looked like a long tunnel to an opening and she finally understood. They were never imprisoned at all. It was only the song that kept them trapped in sleep.
Skrug reached down and carefully took her in his claw, "Show me these herds," he said and then spread his wings and flew right up and out of the den.
Zalaya gasped in shock, but realized he was holding her very gently. She felt her heart pounding in her chest as she looked down and noticed they had exited through the top of the great tower stone. The blue dragon swooped down and then circled around and she suddenly caught sight of her horse.
"No, lord Dragon! That is my horse!" she protested.
"I wasn't going to eat it," Skrug said. "Horses are too stringy. I was merely looking around. Where should I find these caribou?"
"To the Noreast, there in those rolling hills," she said.
Skrug wasted no time, climbing high in the sky and flying seemingly effortlessly in the direction she had told him. In minutes, his quarry came into sight and he swooped down over one hill and deposited Zalaya gently on the grass before hunting down his meal. She watched in fascination at how gracefully he took to the sky. He didn't take long to satisfy his appetite, eating four caribou and then taking a long drink at a stream in the valley below where he'd left her. Zalaya did not entirely trust him, but she no longer felt the fear she had at first seeing him. He drank his fill and then walked up the hill to meet her.
"Caribou, very tasty. I am Skrug, who are you?"
"Zalaya," she said, waiting for him to ask his questions.
"Nice to meet you, Zalaya. Now, I can talk to you without the desire to eat you. Tell me all about the ages I have slept," Skrug said.
Zalaya sighed, knowing this was going to be a along story. She knew he needed to hear it, all of it. She was always very interested in history and not just that of her own people. She knew she wouldn't know it all, but she knew more than most where she was from. She started from the dark days just before the imprisonment of the dragons and went from there. It was nearly dawn before she finished.
Rangers were well accustomed to hard work and hard riding. Godwin set a fierce pace and they matched it easily. It was long past sunset when he halted to make camp. None in his company protested or complained; they simply set to work preparing a meal and setting a guardable perimeter. Godwin withdrew from the main group and stood alone by the stream, watering his horse. He was starting to grasp the reality of his journey and it weighed heavily upon him. His cousins gave him a little space, but Grayson joined him by the water.
"What are your plans?" Grayson asked.
"I have made no plans, I am merely going home. I will make plans when I know what I am to dealing with," Godwin said. "I just want to see my family again."
"He will be proud of you, just as I am," Grayson said. "You need not prove yourself to him further."
Godwin sighed as he gave his horse a pat on the neck. "Sometimes, when it is late and the moon is high, I can almost see him the way he looked that first night. I had watched the warlord's men burn our farm and had hidden in the brush. He didn't seem to have any trouble finding me. He laid down his weapons and offered me his hand…"
"He offered more than his hand that night," Grayson said.
Godwin chuckled lightly, "Indeed he offered me his protection and his heart. I could not have chosen a better father than Alcon, my Ada. I sometimes wonder if it hurts him that I want to return to Rhûn. I don't want him to think that Eryn Gwilthiwen is not good enough for me."
"He knows why you must leave. He knew when he found out who you were that you would be leaving him someday. It is your destiny to help Elessar bring peace to the world of Men. The East needs you, and we all want to see you there. Too long has the fighting and animosity gone unchecked. Much blood has been spilt, on both sides."
Godwin scowled, "The warlords will not simply step aside for me because I am my father's son. Blood will run like the Runnings River before peace will be seen in my homeland. I fear that my coming will be marked as a day of woe. I'm afraid, Grayson. I know what must be done, but I fear it. I do not want to draw blood as if it means nothing. I am a man of peace, like my Ada."
"You are a Ranger. You've killed men in the service of the King," Grayson said seriously.
"That was different…"
"No, there is no difference! Peace is costly and the price is paid in blood. You remember fear and sorrow but things in the East are much worse now. You take a good look at those in power there and you will have no qualms over spilling blood. You're a good man, Godwin, with a heart of gold, but if you're to rule a land as wild as Rhûn, you need a hand of iron as well."
Alasseo walked up to them about that time, having heard only the hand of iron comment. He smiled and laughed, "Indeed, you speak truly. Aran Mab Engrin has proven his strength easily…"
"What?" Grayson interrupted. "What is that you call him?"
"Aran Mab Engrin, King with the hand of iron," Alasseo clarified.
Grayson smiled and looked back at Godwin, "Good. Now prove it!" And with that he left.
"What was that about?" Alasseo asked.
"Grayson was reminding me of the nature of the road I am about to travel," Godwin said. "I hope I will be ready for it."
"You will," Alasseo said. "I know you will."
Godwin returned to camp to find everything already taken care of from the food to the watch. Someone had already set up a small tent, something that Rangers never usually use. Godwin glanced at it a moment before passing it by in favor of a quiet spot near the edge of camp as was his custom. He received several disappointed looks before Helgoth walked over to talk to him.
"The tent was meant for you, Godwin. It is not prudent for you to sleep at the edge of camp," Helgoth said.
Godwin calmly stood to his feet and surveyed the men around him. He was by far the youngest, save his cousin Varno, and felt he had no business commanding these seasoned men. But this was his journey, and they invited themselves along. He'd had enough of their presumption as to the way he should lead. It was time for him to put his foot down.
"Who is leading this party, me or one of you? I am pleased to have the wisdom of your counsel, but it is not your place to impose your will upon me. We are still in Arnor, so it will not be far for any of you to go home. I think it is time we got something straight here. I am traveling to my home in Gondor to see my family. I am not parading around the countryside as the would be conqueror of the East. Whoever brought the tent can pack it up. I have no time or desire to lounge in comfort on this trip. I have need of haste, for I fear that time is growing short for me. I have been away too long. At the moment, I care little about Rhûn or my place in it. I need to see my home and know that all is well. Then and only then will I think of what lies beyond."
Helgoth stared at the ground as if he'd just been scolded. He had looked at Godwin as the next great leader to follow, but in his zeal he'd insulted the lad. He deserved the dressing down for it. He motioned to two of the younger men to pack it up and then went to tend the fire. The crowd dispersed and Godwin joined him there.
"It is far too soon to act like the king you all wanted to follow. I appreciate the thought, but," Godwin sighed. "I am still trying to learn to be a man."
"You were already a man when you first arrived, lad. It simply took your strength and skill a while to catch up to your heart. I am sorry…" Helgoth started to apologize but Godwin interrupted.
"No apology needed. I will rely on your wisdom before this quest is finished," Godwin said sincerely.
Helgoth gave him a smile and poked at the fire. He really liked this young Overlord.
Dinner came and went, and the night was rather short. Godwin rose quite early and found his men already preparing to leave. He smiled, pleased that they always seemed to know what he wanted them to do. The next few days' travel were similarly hard. They rode with all haste through the wilderness, avoiding settlements and towns that served only to slow them down. They pushed their horses to the limit and each night rested but a short while, leaving again before dawn. Godwin never had to drive his men; they seemed ready and able to follow. It just amazed him that seasoned Rangers would choose to ride with an untested boy.
Skrug was strangely quiet after hearing Zalaya's account of the years he'd missed. He carried her back to the den and set her down by her horse. For some time they sat and watched the dawn in silence while he struggled through the shock. It was difficult to know how he felt. He was angry, but he was also grateful for his freedom now. But most of all, he wondered what happened to the others.
"Did they escape?" Skrug finally asked.
"I don't know. Only Smaug was known to leave," she admitted. She feared that her people were keeping some dark secret as to the keeping of the Old Ones. She wish she had an answer for him, whatever it turned out to be.
"And the nest?" Skrug pressed.
"There were no eggs that survived the long years without tending. I am sorry," she said quietly.
"How easy it would be to gain vengeance for the years of imprisonment," Skrug said bitterly, "But what would I gain?"
"Little, save the enmity of those you hurt. If a man brought down Smaug with a single arrow, then you are not invulnerable. I do not want to see you make an enemy of yourself, Skrug. You are the last of your kind as far as I know, and I feel privileged to know you. What will you do?" Zalaya asked.
Skrug closed his eyes and hung his head. He was never a very frightening dragon when he was young. He tended to mind his own business, save the occasional pinching of some farmer's livestock. Truthfully he had no idea.
"What are you going to do?" he asked.
"Once I freed the dragons, I was going to go help a friend regain his throne," she said.
Skrug opened his eyes and cocked a brow at her. "What throne?"
"Rhûn's. He's the rightful overlord of the East, and he is returning to his home after many years of hiding. He needs a little help," she admitted.
"The East, eh? Are they not still servants of Sauron?" Skrug asked.
"No, the Dark Lord was destroyed, as I said before," she explained again.
Skrug scratched his chin and licked his lips in thought. He had nothing here, but an adventure might give him some purpose. He liked the little woman; perhaps he'd tag along and help this Eastern King. If nothing else, he would get to revisit the Eastern dens. Perhaps there were other dragons yet slumbering beneath the earth.
"I have not been to the east for some time. Perhaps I could go with you," he said lightly. "Your little king could do well with a dragon on his side."
Zalaya wasn't sure that was a good idea. "If you come with me, you have to behave yourself. Some of your kin were most cunning, and evil. I would hate to have to use my voice against you."
Skrug frowned. "If I were like Smaug, I'd have eaten you already. Now peace, woman, I'm coming with you, so lead the way."
Zalaya sighed and mounted her horse. Fizu was nowhere to be seen, no doubt out of fear of the dragon. She gave her steed a nudge with her heel and headed back down the narrow path. She scarcely got fifty feet before she heard Skrug's exasperated command.
"Stop!"
She shifted in her saddle and turned around to look at him. "What?"
"You are going west," he said in annoyance.
"It is the only way out of this wasteland. Once we reach the edge, I can go around and turn east," she explained.
"I'll carry you," he said. "You won't need the horse with me along."
"The horse is not mine, Skrug. I must return it to the Elves before I can take you up on such an offer," she said firmly.
Skrug sighed, "Fine, we'll stop there on the way." And with that he took to the air. He circled around overhead, and Zalaya realized what he was going to do. She quickly whispered calming and soothing words to the horse and then commanded him to sleep. Skrug swooped down grabbing her in one hand and the horse in the other before rising skyward.
"If you and I are to travel together we need to get a few things straight. I'm in charge," Zalaya said. "You'll do as I say."
"Oh is that so? Well, then put me to sleep and we'll all die when we fall to the earth," he said sarcastically. "I gave you my word I would not harm you. If you are to befriend a dragon, you'll have to learn to trust."
Zalaya looked at the approaching horizon. "I'm not very good with trust, but I will try."
"Fine, and I'll try not to frighten the villagers along the way," he said with a chuckle.
They both laughed at that. Zalaya liked him and as she watched the quickly passing countryside, she realized he didn't know where he was going.
"The forest in the shadow of the mountains, there," she said pointing at the distant peaks. "That is Rivendell, and we can leave the horse at the edge of the wood. He'll find his way home."
"I'll have us there by dusk," Skrug said. "Hang on."
As the sun sank, Skrug deposited the groggy horse safely on the edge of the wood. He set Zalaya down and stretched for a minute. He didn't' like being so close to the elves and hoped she wouldn't want to camp here.
"So, your king, where would he be now?" Skrug asked.
"I don't know. He should have finished his training in Fornost and be traveling home by now. His home is somewhere in Gondor, that is all I know."
"Well, I can get us a little closer to Gondor before we rest for the night," Skrug said as he got back down on all fours. "Climb on up. It should be a better ride on my back."
Zalaya looked at him nervously.
"I won't let you fall, Zalaya. I promise," he said softly.
Zalaya grabbed her saddlebag and then climbed up his arm and shoulder before sitting astride the base of his neck. It was a bit wider than a horse's back, but she managed. His scales were rough and hard like rock, but there was a natural curve that made a semi comfortable seat. There was nothing to hold onto, but she refused to complain. It was an honor for him to offer her a ride in this manner.
"Do you trust me, Morzethu?" he asked.
Zalaya didn't hesitate, "Yes, Skrug."
He straightened up, and Zalaya leaned forward with him, to maintain her balance. It wasn't as hard as she thought. He spread his wings and gave a few gentle flaps to check the clearance around her head before taking to the sky. As he climbed up above the clouds now painted orange and red with the sunset, he heard her bright laughter as he felt her arms tighten around the back of his neck. He realized there was nothing for her to hold onto. He would have to be careful. He found a secluded valley not too far over the mountains where he halted to make camp. He watched her gather wood and smirked when he saw her try to start a fire with a tinder box.
"Ahem," he said. "If you'll allow me."
Zalaya stepped aside and he frowned and motioned for her to give more room. He took in a deep breath and blew a respectable stream of fire at her pile of wood.
"There now," he said with a smile. "And now it is time for a little snack. Do you like fish?"
Zalaya perked up at the thought. "I love fish. I'm from Forochel after all."
"Fine, I'll fly back to that little lake and catch us some," and with that, he took off.
Zalaya sat by the fire and thought of everything that had happened the past two days. She'd lost a father that she never knew. She met and freed the last known dragon, and now she was traveling with him. How very unexpected everything had been. She threw another log on the fire and sighed. She wondered if Godwin would be happy to see her again. Their parting was very abrupt. Perhaps he had forgotten her already.
Skrug returned with a fist full of large fish. He laid them by the fire and smiled in satisfaction. Zalaya had to admit, she was impressed.
"I didn't know dragons could fish," she said.
"There's a lot about dragons you don't know," Skrug said.
"Then tell me," Zalaya said. "I want to know all about you."
Skrug grabbed one of the fish, tossed it up and caught it in his mouth. He swallowed it in one slurp and then smacked his lips. "Not tonight. Cook yourself one of those fish and get some sleep. I don't think you're ready for such a tale. Besides," he said as he tossed up another fish and slurped it down. "I'm the one doing all the work. I need my rest."
Zalaya picked the smallest fish and went to work cleaning it. She never looked up as she commented. "I know that dragons were not remembered as being very nice, but Middle Earth was a very different place back then. I'm not afraid to hear the truth."
Skrug ate the last of his fish and sighed, "Not tonight, Zalaya. Not tonight." And with that, he stepped away from the fire and curled up for sleep. He folded his wings around himself like a blanket, but Zalaya knew he didn't feel cold. She wondered what life was really like for the great ones so long ago. Not all of them served evil, and she had a feeling that Skrug was one of those that didn't. She hoped he'd feel like telling her about it soon.
