Chapter 10- Merry the Laugher

Disclaimer- See chapter 1.

After a twenty minutes flight, we were miles from Rapion Howllt's camp. Lela and I were wrapped snugly in the coil of the dragon's tail. I noticed that Lela had passed out, and I called her name frantically, shaking her, and trying to think of what my Aunt Meryl would do.

Finally the dragon landed, and Lela came to her senses. The blue creature released us, and we looked around us. There was a huge boulder to our left, and Lela ran to it.

She crouched down behind the rock, and I held out my sword, Bloodbiter, given to me by my aunt, in striking pose, although inside I was quaking with fear. I had never been so terrified, nor had I wished so much that my brother was beside me. Gavin was the one who was supposed to fight dragons. I was only supposed to embroider them.

I suppose that was why I had always seemed so brave; I thought that I would never actually face the danger. But now, standing face to face with the jaws of death, I was panicked, but I held the sword steadily, looking the dragon in the eyes.

The dragon gazed at my sword, and over at the place where Lela was hiding.

"It's okay," he said sadly. "A guy's not gonna hurt you." His voice was slightly squeaky, tender and soft, not at all how a dragon was supposed to sound. Suddenly he was not at all intimidating. "I'm Kyor. What's your name?"

"Merry," I said softly, slowly lowering Bloodbiter.

"And your friend?" Kyor asked. I glanced over at Lela, who was cautiously crawling up on top of the boulder. I thought it best no to conceal anything from a dragon. The sweetness could be but an act.

"She is Lela. We ran away."

"A guy hoped that it was really you. Most dragons are smart, but that gene skipped a guy," the dragon began. "Other wise a guy would have known who you were right away. A guy's mother, Vollys, always told a g-"

"Vollys was your mother?" I asked. The dragon nodded.

"That's why a guy was coming after you. Your mother murdered her." Kyor spoke so pathetically that just listening to him made me feel sad.

"I am sorry," I said, and suddenly, it was the truth. I had grown up knowing that Vollys was a villain, yet now, in just minutes, her son had me feeling sorry for her.

"It's not your fault," Kyor continued. "A guy warned mama that she would someday be defeated if she couldn't be polite. That was the last a guy ever saw of her. Then she disowned a guy, and now he's an outcast."

"Poor Kyor," Lela said, as I rummaged through my pack. Lela reached up and stroked the dragon's neck, and he thrummed happily. I pulled out a good sized chunk of jerky.

"Would you like a snack?" I suggested.

"No!" he exclaimed. I must have looked startled as I put the food back in my bag. "Sorry. It's just that, well, a guy doesn't eat meat."

A dragon that was a vegetarian. Now I had seen it all.

"Well, what do you eat?" It turned out that he devoured insects, especially mosquitoes, any fruits, and entire trees. He sat on his haunches, picked one up and crunched on it as you would a cob of corn.

"What could we eat?" Lela wondered out loud. I smiled and reached once more into my pack.

"I 'borrowed' this from Gavin," I explained, showing Lela a beautiful tablecloth. The large square of linen was embroidered on every inch with pictures of an elaborate feast.

"I don't understand," she said.

"You will," I said mysteriously. "Good tablecloth, please set thyself." As soon as the words were out of my mouth, the tablecloth jumped out of my arms, and unfolded. It hung in the air, all straight edges, as though a table were beneath it, although there was none. "My father gave this to my mother when she left on her quest to find the cure for the Gray Death," I said. "And Mother gave it to Gavin."

As I finished speaking, dishes began to appear in the air and plop down onto the invisible table with a thump. A roast hart, creamy broccoli soup, warm rolls, and a dish with mushrooms, were the main courses, and then there was a rich chocolate cake for our dessert.

"I am certainly glad that Gavin let you 'borrow' this," Lela said, following my example as I sank onto one of the invisible chairs. Lela and I shared our supper then sat down on the edge of the boulder beside the Kyor, as it took him much longer to eat.

After Kyor had demolished four trees, he told Lela and me of his childhood before he was banished, and how lonely "a guy" had been all on his own.

"You don't have to be alone anymore," Lela said. "You can come with us. I'm sure that you could be helpful, lighting fires and such. In fact, maybe you could show us a place where we could stay."

I was barely paying attention to the conversation anymore. I heard rustling in the distance. When I was sure of what I had heard, I jumped to my feet, kicking sand onto our dragon-induced campfire.

"Shh," I said listening carefully.

"What is it?" Kyor asked.

"Ogres. Good tableclo-" I began, but I was interrupted.

"Ogres, where!" the dragon said, hovering about ten feet above the ground.

"Good tablecloth, I-thank-thee-for-a-fine-meal!" I shouted, snatching up my bag and shoving the wadded up tablecloth inside. I took a leap off of the boulder and onto the dragon's back. Lela followed my example, but she started to slide off. I grabbed her hands and tried to help her pull up. "Hee, hee, hee, that tickles," Kyor said.

"Quick," I yelled. "Fly away from this wood." As the dragon slowly started to lift off, eight ogres came busting into the clearing. One made a mad grab for Lela's leg, and latched onto her ankle. My arms were on fire, but I refused to let go. "Higher, Kyor!" I shouted. Then I saw our opportunity. "Go to your left," I called. "Now!"

The dragon obeyed, and a tree caught the ogre's stomach. Stunned, he let go, falling the twenty or so feet to the ground. I pulled Lela up, laughing as I did.

Merry the laugher.

This second dragon ride was like a dream. Kyor flew gracefully over the treetops, smooth as butter spreads on bread. I drifted off in that magical place, somewhere in the clouds, and I felt like I was the closest I had ever been to my aunt, Meryl.

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Big, long A/N: If you want a voice to go with Kyor, just watch "Monsters, Inc." Look for the two guys who operate the door shredder, Smitty and Needleman. When they say "They're so awesome," you've got your voice; at least it's the one that I'm picturing.

Also, thank you, to those who have reviewed. Your praises and criticisms are well received.

To Elvensilver- Thanx for your wonderful review. It was great to get! I know that it seemed a little weird for Lela to run off after the ball. You have to remember that she was under a lot of stress. Someone had tried to murder her, several times, and now when she was upset enough, her father made a life changing decision without consulting her. I mean, if your father was going to marry you off, wouldn't you like to have some say in it? Anyways, that's my line of thinking.

I know what I want to happen through the end of the story. It's just putting it down into cohesive paragraphs that takes so long. And then, I go and get caught up in another story of mine, and they get abused by turn. Sorry to anyone who had to wait too long. I will really try to finish this up.

One last, minor note, if you like the ABC TV show, "LOST," I am writing a story under the penname "eachwednesdayigetlost" based on it. Just thought I'd advertise a little.

.. Katie ..