Chapter 13: Mandrake Root and Mountain King

Erragain was still talking with Mattresstag when a dwarf came to her, bowing he humbly asked she follow him to their king. Erragain was confused slightly since she had already seen Ajarhead, but the dwarf turned slightly purple and explained that Ajarhead may have been considered a 'king of the Garden' but he was not the King here. So Erragain bid goodbye to Mattresstag and scooted off after the dwarf with Turcozy to meet the Dwarven King. They traveled a great distance, far greater than she had expected before they passed through some doors and Erragain was swept off her feet by the sight. The wall, the ceilings, the floors, all of it was the purest marble. Great pillars lined a seemingly endless hall with great huge glowing lamps of strange make hanging like chandeliers, and upon the walls themselves great carvings, hundreds of feet tall, showcased the history of the Dwarven peoples and held statues of its past kings in alcoves.

She had never seen anything so massive, nor had she ever even imagined something so ancient feeling. Even Turcozy seemed small in comparison to the large room. They walked further down a rich carpet covered in runes and a variety of colors before coming upon the end of the way. A great throne, carved from a single pieces of black marble, unadorned yet all the same it emanated a strength that whispered of the ageless being of rock. A familiar man, the one in the grey robe with the beard and staff who traveled with Ajarhead sat before them. "Hail, mighty Dragon Rider." he said with a thick Scottish accent.

Erragain's eyes widened. "P-pardon my stare your Majesty, I thought the King of the dwarves would be… a dwarf." she said sheepishly.

"King? He is no king." a deep voice rumbled thickly; the man gasped at the voice, jumped up and bowed low. From beside the throne came a dwarf, older than any person Erragain had ever seen; his white beard was so long, even braided it stretched past his shoulders like a grand cloak and dragged upon the floor. In fact, Erragain didn't see the end of it as the hair flowed off into the darkness of the room. He wore golden mail armor, and carried with him a hammer so massive Erragain shuddered to think what kind of nails it would take for the task of its size. "You are dismissed." The true King rumbled.

"Ah, the throne is all warm, just as you like It." the man with the grey robe and staff said, he then quickly stood and fled down the hall.

Erragain watched the spectacle with wide eyes, then kind of bowed as best she knew how; even Turcozy nodded his head in acknowledgement. "Rise Dragon and Rider, you owe me no tribute. I am Hrothgar, and this is my hall; where I serve my men golden mead, the finest on these isles. I have troubles, young rider, dealings with a beast who slays my men. A beast that I dread to speak its name." He said stoically, his voice rumbling like an earthquake.

"Burgals?" Erragain squeaked helpfully.

"What? Nay, not Burgals… I mean, yes, Burgals. Burgals bother my men and I would need your aid in dispatching them to safeguard my peoples. But… I know well enough that this can not be the reason you have come, for your arrival and theirs are sudden, especially in my eyes." He bent forward and sat slowly upon the black throne. "I am old human, even by our reckoning, old enough to have seen the Riders in all their fleeting glory, old enough to have spoken with their last leader, who paid tribute to me in within these very walls. Few are still alive who can claim that much. I remember the Riders and how they meddled in our affairs, I also remember the peace they kept that made it possible to walk unharmed from one corner of these lands to lands far beyond."

"And now you stand before me, a Ride whose like I have not seen within these halls in my entire lifetime. Even your Dragon, of very fine countenance, not have I seen his equal in these very walls. You are a strange pair, perhaps the strangest I have ever seen. So tell me then, with your own words and lips, why have you come to these halls?"

Erragain looked at Turcozy, who looked at her reassuringly.

"You… wanted to see us…?" she said quietly.

The king waited a bit, and nodded; "Yes, but why have you come to these halls."

"Beeeecause we were led here?" she looked at Turcozy.

"Ah, lead by Fate, or perhaps you would call it Destiny then?"

"I'm pretty sure it was a Dwarf…" Erragain squinted.

"Nay, there is confusion here, I mean, why have you come to me? Now?"

"Youuuu'rrreee the kiiiiinng?" Erragain tried.

"Indeed, so you wish to pay tribute to me?" He raised his joined eyebrows.

"Nnnnoooooo…?" Erragain guessed.

Hrothgar blinked, then, his face cracked with a smile easily visible within his massive beard. "You are truly a puzzle, young Rider. I would have met you earlier, as the Garden's leader did, but my duties stayed me. I had to settle many fears that you came to take my throne, and the whole of Farthan Durr." He said in a deep voice.

"Sir, I can't even lift that throne, even with Turcozy, let alone a whole mountain, even if it is hollow!" Erragain pleaded.

Again the King paused. The silence was like a tomb within the great halls of the mountain. "Young one, what is your profession?" he pointed.

"…Dragon Rider?" she gave up.

The king smiled kindly, very kindly in fact. "It would seem the fears of my brethren are greatly exaggerated, a more innocent Lass I've never met before. You truly are the rarest person I've had in these halls; your honesty, and your mien is a great boon to these old eyes. To think there are still people in the world like you, perhaps it is not so dark an affair after all. Take good care of this Rider, Dragon, though for your choice alone, I see you are wise… perhaps wiser than even myself." Erragain looked at Turcozy who only looked at her and did a sort of loving smile with his eyes.

"His name is Turcozy, sir." Erragain said quietly.

"What was that? Tea cozy?" the King bent an ear closer.

"No Sir, Turcozy." Erragain shouted, the words echoing off the walls.

"Ah yes, our great Turquoise, it's sudden disappearance has stuck us all, the Dwarves, deeply. Whatever foul mages have ripped it from us shall pay dearly for this insolence. You needn't worry yourself over it." he waved them off with a hand and continued to grumble to himself about its disappearance.

Erragain looked worriedly at Turcozy, who raised his eyebrow. "I believe we have been dismissed." he said finally. Erragain looked up and noted the king was brooding, deep in thought… or sleeping… she couldn't tell. Silently, they both turned and slowly left the hall of the king under the mountain hall king… dwarf.

Once outside they were ushered up several flights of stairs to a huge cave in the rock face, a place where Turcozy and Erragain could rest in peace, separate form those below. Here they could finally, finally sit and speak to each other over the events of the day. But even before Erragain could open her mouth a cat yowled. Startled, Erragain turned to see a strange creature, like a cat but a little larger and with massive ears. She had never seen it before. "Follow me." a voice said in her mind.

"Turcozy did you…?" Erragain asked.

"No, I believe it was the cat." he answered.

"Yes… it was me, I am…" the cat seemed to roll its eyes, "…Solemn Bum… someone wishes to see you; alone."

Erragain looked to Turcozy, who shrugged somehow. "I shall come if you call." He said, so, Erragain stood and followed. The strange animal led her on a merry chase down the stairs, down a hall, and through several doorways until she ran smack dab into a door. Erragain rubbed her nose and stood, the door then slid open revealing a humid room full of plants unlike any Erragain had ever seen; within the room, on the only chair, sat Angeluh the fortuneteller, Witch, and herbalist.

"So we meet again!" she smiled brightly. Erragain pursed her lips, wondering if she should enter. "Oh don't be like that! You should be glad to see me, though my craziness is a little lessened now that I can look myself again, huh?" she said. Erragain thought about it some more, and then shrugged inwardly and came in. "Now, in the real deal there was only one chair, but I always thought that was kind of rude to have you gallivanting along and not have a place to sit, so I brought an extra!" she motioned to a flopping kind of bag cushion. Erragain sat in it, sunk, and came to rest in a comfortable position. "So, are you suspired to see me? And Solemn Bum too! I can't believe we get to make an appearance, though this IS near the end of it all so it's only natural right?"

Erragain blinked, but felt at ease in her presence, she had a sense of reality about her despite her ramblings, and that was a lot more then she could say for a lot of people she had met recently. "I suppose it is good to see you, how did you get here?" she said finally.

"Why, my feet of course!" she smiled grandly. Erragain couldn't help but return it slightly. "That's the spirit! I don't know about you, but I've had a blast this whole time! You wouldn't believe some of the things I've seen and done in this new little corner of the world. I can't believe some of the silly little changes that have been done to make everything hilarious!" she snorted a laugh. "It's kind of sad it has to end so soon though, I mean I know this won't go on much beyond this point, after all they'll never make another movie, not the way they screwed things up but none the less it was nice while it lasted." She sighed.

Erragain was again lost, but she was getting use to the feeling. "What do you mean end soon?" she said pensively.

"Oh! Oh dear I'm so sorry, I keep breaking the wall. What I mean to say is, well I guess I should be saying is what happened to Bro- excuse me, Prom, and then you tell me about Mattress… Mattress…" she tried to speak but a sudden surge of giggles prevented her and she had to burst out laughing. "Mattresstag! I can't get over it!" she forced out with a smile.

Erragain only frowned. "Prom is dead…" she said quietly.

Angeluh stopped and looked at her kindly. "Oh, oh yes… I'm sorry, I forgot how he gets serious sometimes and throws a touching moment at you when you least expect it… I am truly sorry Erragain. He was a good man, in any universe."

Erragain didn't understand but nodded anyway at the truth of her words. "How can your cat talk to me by the way?" Erragain said suddenly remembering.

"Solemn Bum?" Angeluh giggled, "He's that werecat I was telling you about, a magical beast, the one that never got to give you important information. It doesn't matter though, since this doesn't continue." Angeluh said off handedly.

"Why do you keep saying that?" Erragain narrowed her eyes.

Angeluh looked to her, "Oh dear, is this going to get serious now?"

"You did it again, you talk like this is all some sort of game or, or, some kind of story or something…" Erragain furrowed her brow.

"Well dear, it is a story. Your story to be precise."

"What do you mean?" Erragain sat forward taking her heels in her hands to stay sitting up. "You talk about me like I'm some kind of character in a great adventure story, but I'm not and I never will be, Turcozy is the only amazing thing in my life and it's only because of him I've seen and done all I have. I know now you can really read the future, because I've done magic too, so I know you've probably watched me and that's how you knew to come here, but you make it seem like your above all of it. You're not an elf though, or a Rider, and if you were so powerful why didn't you stop Galbatrossmatrix yourself or warn the Dragon Riders?"

Angeluh ran her bottom lip beneath her top teeth a few seconds, then she sighed. "This is the story of your life Erragain, your story. You are the main character and it centers around you, all my actions, even if they were great, matter little in context to what you have and will do. I speak to you about the future and the past because I have seen them, but I haven't been there for them. I can't say I know you or everything about you; but I know you are a good person, a really good person. Your heart is pure, innocent, and kind. You've done some silly things, but that is how the world works. Through no fault of your own you have been placed in an extraordinary circumstance and given a life that is beyond your control."

Erragain stood then. "This isn't some daydream fantasy, this is my life! I could die today or tomorrow and there won't be a single word written or sung about me. I'm not important, and I won't ever be, even with Turcozy I'm still nothing more than a simple farm girl who did her best not to get killed. I'm not a hero, or even a sidekick, this is real life!" Erragain's voice was rising higher and higher, "Gallow died, Prom died, and something tells me I'll never see Roaring again! This isn't some joke, and if it is everyone else is in on it but me, Turcozy, and Mattresstag! And it's a cruel one! One I never wanted to be a part of, or asked to be a part of!"

Erragain shouted. "I've had no training, I don't even have any skills! I've been swept off my feet the moment I found Turcozy's egg and it's been nothing by chaos and confusion the entire time. I don't want this! I just want to live in peace with Turcozy far away from the King and any stupid story book notion of good or evil!" Tears began to fall before she knew it. "You make it sound like nothing I do matters or will ever matter, which is fine by me, but you also talk like 'this story' it going to end, and all I can see is my or Turcozys' death. And if he dies I'd rather die too! I don't care what world you think I'm in, what reality or whatever you're talking about, I love him and he loves me! This is not funny!" she finally screamed.

Angeluh stared at her with wide eyes and even Solemn Bum sitting upon her lap looked at her with frightened curiosity.

"I-I, I'm sorry." She said, and turned running from the room. Tears still fell freely as she ran down the hall, wordlessly Turcozy found her and lifted her upon his back; together, they flew high out from the hollow mountain and into the sky where they were truly alone. They flew together, in silence, simply enjoying each other's company without need for words. Clouds drifted below and above them, the world itself far beneath them where the cares of armies, nations, and Kings could not reach.

"What have I become, Turcozy?" Erragain whispered finally, "I'm only in the first years of womanhood, I don't even have boobs. Yet I've consulted with the leader of the Garden, the King of Dwarves, am pursued by another King, Galbatrossmatrix, and have traveled with Moronzan's daughter- whose father was slain by my teacher and friend the last real Dragon Rider. If my life is to be some great legend, what wisdom am I to give people that they haven't already learned? What feats can I achieve that an army couldn't do better? It's insanity! I should be back in Carveahall with Roaring, spending my days hunting in the Back, raising a family like a good little woman."

Turcozy took a long time to answer, letting his breath and heart beat fill the silence between them with warmth. "A hatchling; that is what you are, a hatchling struggling into the world. I may be younger than you in years, but I am ancient in my thoughts. Do not worry about these things, find peace in where and what you are. People often know what must be done, all you need do I show them the way. That is wisdom. As for feats, what feat is better than a life well lived? Honestly, genuinely, and fully? You speak as if your life meant nothing without meaning for others... but the meaning of life is not the same for all. The meaning of life is whatever one chooses to give it meaning. That is why it is called the meaning, because it is your life and you make it meaningful to you."

Erragain bowed her head. "It's overwhelming. I feel as if I am living in an illusion, a dream where all things are possible. Amazing things do happen, I know, but always to someone else, always in some far-off place and time in stories long past into legend and myth. I grew up in a quiet place, at a quiet pace, but the moment I found your egg, everything changed. I've done amazing things with you Turcozy, things I could never have done on my own; those can't be the actions of the farm girl I am, or was. Something is changing me."

"Experience often does. Fate, Destiny, these are words for those who take comfort in not having a choice. I know, it is we- we who live life- that choose how we live our lives. As I have chosen you." said Turcozy, "Every age has it legends, heroes, and icons. Some are born into it, expecting it, but eventually they must choose without any guidance by their own past and experiences. This makes them better equipped for what lies ahead yes, but you and I know, no one is ever prepared for everything."

Erragain sighed, "I guess I should feel lucky I have you. I don't think I could have survived without you."

"Yes, but so say all that have a true friend with them through the best and worst of things. Do not make the mistake in thinking that having a Dragon will make life better or you any happier, remember, Galbatrossmatrix had a dragon as well yet he did not find happiness. He was not content. He chose to do great wrong, and he will never be happy, even if he ever should obtain his mad conquest. Why is this?" Erragain remained silent pressing the side of her face against Turcozy's neck. "Magic can not solve all of life's problems, nor can running from those problems. We do not know his past, his history, but we know his choices and even if did make them for the right reason, they are still the wrong choices. Take heart in this Erragain, your choices have been fair and true, you did as best you could, and for this you have lived your life in the same way."

Erragain closed her eyes then, "but they don't' write legends and stories about people like that."

"Don't they? What are heroes if not people who make the right choices in spite of everything else? They may not have greatest skills, but they have a great heart, and if they follow it great things will happen to them."

"How can you be so sure?" she sighed.

"Because I found you." his heart swelled with love for her then, and Erragain realized what he meant. He, a dragon, truly believed she was the greatest thing he had or would ever have in his life. Despite all his power, strength, and magic… he prized her above all else. His unconditional love for her was stronger than anything else in this world. Erragain was awestruck by this revelation, awestruck because she had not seen it before, and awestruck because he needing nothing else to be happy but her presence.

"Oh Turcozy." She said burying her face into his soft scales. "What am I supposed to do?" she sobbed with renewed love for him and worry for their future.

"Whatever you can. Each day. As all of us must."

They continued to fly in a deep silence now, Erragain resting far above the world. But, below her things continued and she saw the massing armies collecting around them, pounding upon the gates. Mattresstag was in there, and unless she wanted to leave everyone to a fate of slaughter, slavery, or worse she would have to do something. No, they would have to do something. Erragain gripped one of Turcozy's neck spikes; they, together, would need to do something to save lives and end the madness of the king. And it was just as suddenly Erragain wondered if the King, after wiping out all other Dragons, had thought as she did and went mad because of it. "I'll do right by you…" she whispered, to Turcozy, to the world below. Slowly the bright blue Dragon, nearly invisible in the sky, circled the lonely hollow mountain, where war waited below.