Adeena: Finally! Peace and quiet.
Just one comment here. To ElfMaidenOfLight, you cannot force a Dragon to do anything. I am immune to magic but not bribery. Ask and yee shall receive, but no more than one chapter at a time.
Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Knights.
Chapter Seven: Revelation, of a sort
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Evening approximately one week later, another streamside camp
As she was about to turn back towards the camp she heard someone enter the clearing from the opposite side. She turned and watched his stumbling progress slowly realizing that he was severely injured. Then she recognized him.
"Kai-stern!" Adeena called rushing to his side. "What are you doing out here? What happened?"
"Is Rune with you?"
"Yes, he's at camp. I can heal you" she replied.
"No. Save your strength. You'll need it for Rath. Call for Rune" he replied, grabbing her hands, still trying to continue walking. After two steps he fell to his knees crying out in pain.
"Stay still you fool" she hissed, anger in her voice but tears in her eyes. "I'll send Wind but you must stay still."
Minutes later she hears three runners approaching the clearing where she sat with Kai-stern's head in her lap. "They're almost here. Hold on a couple more minutes" she tells him, as the sound of running feet draws nearer. She looks up as the three enter the clearing, her tear-filled eyes going straight to Rune, who moves to her side, kneels down beside Kai-stern and begins to heal him.
As Rune settles back, Lykouleon speaks from the other side of Kai-stern, where he had placed himself without either Rune or Adeena noticing, "How is he?"
"He'll be fine with some rest" replied Rune, and turning to Adeena, "Why didn't you heal him? I know you could have."
"He told me not to. He asked for you, saying I would need all my strength to help Rath" she replied, barely above a whisper.
"Do you have any idea why he's here? He was supposed to stay at the castle until we returned" queried Lykouleon. "Did he say anything to you about why he's here and not there?"
"No" came the reply from an unexpected quarter. "I didn't say anything to her other than to call for Rune, Lord. I didn't have the strength."
"Kai-stern you must rest" rebuked Rune. "He'll have to be carried back to camp."
"Alright, let's go" replied Lykouleon, helping Rune lift Kai-stern from his position on the ground.
And so they return to camp, Lykouleon carrying Kai-stern, Thatz assisting Rune, and Adeena guarding the lot of them.
"Ruwalk" called Lykouleon upon entering the clearing where they were camped "do we have an extra bedroll? We have an addition to our party who seems to have lost his."
Ruwalk looked up at the returning knights and stared for a few minutes before recognizing the fifth member of the group.
"Adeena and I can share tonight, if she's agreeable, and he can use mine. We'll go into the village in the morning and get another. Will that work?"
"Funny, Ruwalk" replied Adeena sarcastically, "but yes that will work. Show us where to put him, won't you?"
"Over here" Ruwalk smiled as he led her and Lykouleon, whom she was now assisting, to one side of the camp. Gently they lowered Kai-stern to the ground. "Dinner's ready. And, as you can see, Thatz, Kitchel and a faerie named Ringleys are here too. Should I set aside some for him?" indicating a sleeping Kai-stern.
"It might be a good idea" replied Adeena to Ruwalk and "Are you going to introduce me to our newest companions?" she asked of Lykouleon as the three moved quietly from Kai-stern's side.
Indicating each in turn, Lykouleon said "Ringleys, a faerie, helped Kitchel in the quest I sent her on. Kitchel, a thief, was sent to find three treasures. Thatz, Dragon Knight of Earth and former thief, was sent as her protector."
"Dragon Knight of Earth, huh? and a thief to boot. Nice combination -- Dragon Lord, Dragon Fighter, faerie elf and human thief. What's the fifth one like I wonder" Adeena commented quietly, as if to herself.
"After dinner we need to talk" said Lykouleon, just as softly in reply, as they both got their portion of dinner.
"Agreed" as she sat down beside Ruwalk and began to eat.
After dinner in camp, same evening
"Where are they going?" asked Rune of Ruwalk as Adeena and Lykouleon leave the firelight heading for the stream.
"They have a couple things to discuss that do not need an audience" Ruwalk replied placing a restraining hand on both Rune and Thatz' shoulders. "Let's go see how Kai-stern is doing, shall we?" and steers them towards the injured man's bedroll.
After dinner, streamside, same night
"I think we're far enough away," Adeena said, sitting on a log. Removing her boots she put her feet in the water and splashed a bit while Lykouleon found his own spot to sit.
"Ok, I guess I get to start" he said, putting his own feet in the stream. "I don't really want to talk about this since it reminds me of some very bad days."
"Everyone has bad memories. Get over it" came the anger tinged comment. "If you want me to help you have to open up. Besides, it might do you some good too."
"Ok, but could you tone the anger down a little?" from Lykouleon. "It started soon after I became the Dragon Lord. Nadil kidnapped Raseleane. I went to save her and in the process of retrieving her I came upon Snow Crewger and Ice Illuser. They broke their chains and fought beside me. I had Crewger protect Raseleane while Illuser fought beside me and took part of Nadil's curse, getting himself killed. I gave half of myself to resurrect him in the form he is now -- half Dragon, half Yokai. Now, … he's fading, he wants to die. As I said before, he hates me and everyone else who knows the whole truth about him. That's it. That's the basic facts -- no details. I don't think I could go into detail on the subject, even after all these years."
As he stumbled to a halt, her expression slowly changed from one of listening to one of contemplation. He watched the change and after a couple minutes of silence he said, "I've answered your questions. It's your turn to answer mine."
Startled out of her reverie, she blinked and shook her head, trying to reassemble her thoughts. "Ok. You're curious about why I called you brother instead of cousin, right?" At his nod she continued "Our mothers became 'with child' at the same time -- yours with twins, mine with only one. When it came time for the babes to be born, both of them went into childbirth at the same time. All three were born within the same hour, two boys and a girl. Unfortunately one of the boys didn't survive very long. Our mothers had already decided that mine would raise twins, separating the actual twins. Now, both would only raise one child -- one of the twins. It was my mother's son who died."
"Why were we separated? What caused our mothers to agree to that in the first place?" asked Lykouleon, interrupting her.
"They had a reading done by a fortune teller before we were born. They were told about Shydeman and Shyrendora and how only siblings would be able to defeat them. They were told that if the twins were found out, that one or both would be killed long before that battle would be fought. So our mothers determined to hide which were the true twins. At our birth I was switched. Shortly after our birth was announced, my would-be brother died mysteriously, it appeared the trick our mothers played had worked. It's a shame really, I would have liked to have had a brother growing up instead of a boy cousin" and she drifted off into thought.
Clearing his throat noisily, Lykouleon said, "You drifted off. How do you know all this and I don't?"
Once more returning her attention to her companion she said, "My mother told me before we went on that last expedition. She was of the opinion that at least one of us should know the truth. They never told our fathers. Any more questions?"
"Uh … not that I can think of right now."
"Good. My feet are getting cold" and she pulled her feet out of the stream, stood up and turned towards camp. "Ready to go back?"
He stood up as well and both headed back to camp, carrying their boots.
Adeena: Chapter seven over. What's next for this enlarging group?
Caitlin: Stop writing! I want to get caught up on reading it before you write any more.
Adeena: Too late! I've already finished it. It's 11 chapters long.