Chapter 3
Maaran was infuriated at the humans. He rescued Azora, blasting the arena apart in his rage, and in his adrenalin rush he was able to pick her up and fly to a safe distance with her. It was hard but once he was on a beach on the other side of the island away from those vikings, he was able to calm down slightly. "Anthia," he said to the little Bhimasara Egill making her look at him in curiosity. "Would you be able to find a dragon able enough to carry her? Her injuries are too severe for me to fly with her safely and I definitely don't want to stay here longer than I have to."
Anthia thought for a moment looking down at the young Aglovale Helmar. "I may know of some Maaran." She said thoughtfully. "Give me an hours time." She then flew away.
Maaran licked Azora's wounds as gently as he could over the next couple hours as he waited for Anthia to return and thought about what those vikings did to her. He arrived at their kill ring only a few minutes into the whipping but he saw red as soon as he smelled her blood. He lost control and he, for a second, was glad he did for if he did not, he probably would have been captured as well.
He looked at his pupil and realized what he said to Anthia about her being his daughter and decided that as soon as she woke he would talk to her about being her father. Maaran was a little hesitant to do it due to her real father being still dear to her. Maaran learned what happened to her real dad when she turned three when the timeline matched a rumor he overheard by pirates. They boasted about taking down a large viking who pleaded with them to let him go to return to his only daughter and wife, he heard how they tortured him, and he heard that he was finally put out of his misery by the sea. It was horrible for him to hear and, though he spared Azora many of the details, he told her what happened to her real father. Azora didn't speak for a week and instead of doing her lessons, she sat and thought by the fireplace in silent mourning.
Maaran knew Azora didn't dwell on things for a very long time, maybe only a week or so if its bad enough, but this experience might leave her more traumatized than ever before. "Maaran!" Anthia's voice called out shaking him from his thoughts. He looked over and noticed her right next to him. Was he really too deep in thought to notice her coming and landing next to him?
"Yes Anthia?" He asked his voice low.
"I found a helper and he is large enough for her to rest easy while being carried in the air." She said nervously.
Maaran narrowed his eyes. "There is something else isn't there."
Anthia sighed her eyes darting behind her into the clouds. "I brought him along but he has a partner…." She gulped at Maaran's glare that told her to get to the point. "He has a human rider…"
Maaran growled dangerously low and the idea of a human riding a dragon in this day and age was ludicrous but he couldn't dwell on it. "Bring them slowly to us. I will warn the human." He watched as she nodded and flew up into the clouds disappearing for a moment before reappearing with a Aethelweah Taylyr and a small figure dressed in dragon looking garbs and mask was atop of it with a long staff that gave a slight soothing sound but Maaran didn't relax.
They landed softly onto the sand a few feet away from them. Maaran sat up proud and gazed at the Aethelweah Taylyr. "You have a human." Maaran stated strongly.
The Aethelweah Taylyr nodded. "Yes Aglovale Helmar." He confirmed. "She is my rider."
"Very well." Maaran looked to the human and spoke in norse. "Take off your mask, rider."
The two dragons and human were shocked. "You can talk?" The human asked in a female voice as she got off the Aethelweah Taylyr.
"Yes now take off your mask." Maaran ordered his patience waning.
The human took it off slowly dropping her staff into the sand. Her face aged, but her youth still showed through her fair skin, deep brown hair, and forest green eyes. "How?"
"Now is not the time for explanations." Maaran growled. "Can you help my daughter or not?"
The human nodded and slowly went forward to look at Azora. She gasped lightly at the bloody markings the whip had caused and immediately started to inspect them closely. "She needs medicine for these." She said to Maaran looking into his toxic green eyes. "We need to take her to the White King and have her heal where it is safe."
"I have a cave of my own." Maaran growled out to her.
"She needs medicine and time with other dragons to help heal." The human persisted.
Maaran looked to the Aethelweah Taylyr. "My rider knows what can help her heal faster." He said gently to Maaran.
Maaran sighed. "Very well human," he said. "We will go to this king of yours."
The human smiled. "Cloudjumper," she said. "I need you to lay down so we can load her onto your back." The Aethelweah Taylyr, known as Cloudjumper, acknowledged what the human said and did what asked. "And you need to help me get your daughter onto his back." She said to Maaran.
Maaran sighed and carefully maneuvered Azora onto Cloudjumper and the human secured her gently using a type of cloth like rope. "I will ride with her to prevent any slipping." The human said. "Will you fly above us nightfury?"
"I will." Maaran turned to Anthia. "Anthia, fly beside them at all times." Anthia nodded. He looked back to the human. "Lead the way then."
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Azora groaned as she slowly awoke. She felt awful all over and couldn't really move any of her limbs. As she opened her eyes she took in that the surroundings were different than before. 'Where am I?' She thought. The wall across from her was a type of ice and she was a little bit put off by the cold. 'Maaran?' She crooned softly in question. Then her eyes widened. "Maaran!" She screeched as she shot up ignoring the pain and displeasure her body felt as she looked around frantically. Azora started to hyperventilate and shake with fear as the unfamiliar place scared her more and more.
Running feet reached her ears and she went into a defensive position, her eyes unfocused and unseeing as the panic in her started to rise.
"Azora!" Called a familiar voice. A face soon came into her vision and she slowly recognized it. "Azora," Maaran said gently. "You're safe now. Come on and calm down, deep breaths and focus on my voice." As she did what Maaran said she slowly started to feel her pain grow and she collapsed into a heap. "Azora!" Maaran said as he rushed to her side.
"Maaran…" she said weakly. "I feel so weak…"
"I know my little one." He said gently once more as he rubbed his face against hers. "I got to you in time. We needed to get you help and my companion who helped me find you found help."
"Who?" She asked.
"My companion was a Bhimasara Egill named Anthia. She brought you help as well but one helper was a little surprising." He looked her in the eyes and sighed gently at her questioning stare. "She brought an Aethelweah Taylyr that had a human rider." He calmed her with purrs as panic showed in her eyes. "This human helped save you my young one." Maaran said as she slowly calmed. "I told her to not approach you without me around and I watched her every move just in case."
Azora let out a relieved breath and asked, "How long have I been under this humans care?" She asked.
"About a week."
Azora sighed in resignation. "I guess I have to stay longer…where are we anyway?"
Maaran chuckled quietly. "We are actually in the home of the Aadghais Wolfe. The king of dragons."
Azora's eyes widened in amazement. "The king?" She whispered.
"Yes young one. He is letting us stay here until you are better."
"That's nice of him to do." She said tiredly.
"Yes." Maaran got up. "Now sleep little one. You need your rest." He smiled and watched as she gently fell asleep.
Maaran walked out of the healing cave and sat in front of the entrance. He sighed as he looked at the beauty that was built around him by the king. Dragons of all kinds were mingling together and peace was felt all around. "Hey there Maaran." A voice called.
Maaran looked over and smiled at Anthia. "Hello Anthia." He said. "How are you doing today?"
"I'm okay. How's Azora?"
"She was awake for a little while and I explained where we are and who rescued her but she fell back to sleep."
"That's good. She's starting to recover at least."
"In the body yes but her mind is the main concern." He sighed. "She will need me more than ever I suspect."
"Maybe but she will grow strong Maaran. She seems strong already. All she needs is the right push here and there and she'll be strong enough to battle on her own."
"I hope so Anthia. I really hope so." Maaran sighed as he went back to watching the beauty of the ice cavern.
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Maaran tended to Azora the majority of the time as days passed but her nightmares and pleadings for him took their toll slowly. He didn't know what to do for her to help her and it scared him that she was scared. The rider, who he later learned that her name was Valka, worried about her as well as the screams of her night terrors echoed all throughout the ice cavern. Maaran never allowed Valka to be seen by Azora in fear of her nightmares and fear getting worse due to human contact.
"You have to let me help her Maaran!" Valka exclaimed outside the healing cave in her comfortable clothes. "I know how to help her!"
"No means no Valka." Maaran said sternly his posture ridged and straight. "She is traumatized by humans. How do we know that just by seeing you that she won't get worse?"
Valka was nearly steaming with anger as her worry for Azora was growing. "You have to trust me!" She nearly yelled. "You're acting irrational and it's going to hurt your daughter more!"
Maaran knew deep inside that he was being irrational and looked away from Valka's steaming face and glaring eyes, indicating dismissal of the conversation.
Suddenly without thinking, Valka slapped him with all her strength, surprisingly making his head jerk to the side. "You are going to destroy her with this attitude and overprotectiveness…" She said sadly before turning away. "I hope you discover that before she is utterly destroyed by her own mind." Then she walked away.
Anthia saw this confrontation and carefully went up to Maaran. "You know," she said thoughtfully. "Maybe talking to the King will help in this situation." She looked up at Maaran noticing his scales streaked with tiny amounts of blood. "Valka cares a lot about dragons and seeing one in such pain and misery must hurt her worse than the scrapes she just got from slapping you."
Maaran slowly turned to look at Anthia. "Possibly." He whispered. He stood and started walking towards the kings resting place. "Watch over Azora for me…"
Anthia watched as Maaran's form disappeared from sight and sighed. "Well, at least he didn't kill her…." She mumbled before turning and walking into the healing cave to watch over Azora.
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Maaran felt awful as he headed to the king. He has been irrational for the past week and he didn't understand why. Years and years he had lived, his patience was long and his understanding of others was large but in this short week his personality seemed to be at a huge setback.
Finally reaching the king he called out, "Oh King Aadghais Wolfe, I request council."
The king looked upon Maaran and sighed. "You have much on your mind Maaran. What is it that you seek council for?"
"My daughter." He said looking into the kings eyes. "She is suffering and I am making it worse. I am scared what she might do seeing Valka, a human, so close to her after her terrible ordeal. She has night terrors and calls for me constantly like a hatchling. I am lost on what to do and how to help her through this." Maaran cast his eyes downwards in shame.
"This is quite a conundrum you have Maaran." The king agreed. "I will help but you must trust me and my judgement. Do you understand me Maaran?" Maaran nodded. "Very well. Though you are of the oldest dragons here you still have much to learn. The first thing I want you to do is take Azora for walks instead of having her cooped up in the healing cavern. Do this for a week and I will tell you the next step. Do not worry about Valka. She will stay hidden from her sight until the time is right."
Maaran nodded in acceptance of the first step and turned to walk away. "Thank you my king." He said softly.
The king nodded and went back to his rest.
Maaran decided a little bit of a walk might be a good idea to clear his mind up from the events that took place not long ago. As he walked he looked at all the different dragons and all the handicapped ones as well. Valka seemed to treat every dragon equally and helped those in need but Maaran was still wary. She was still a human, a reminder of what species hurt his daughter and what humans were capable of. He hoped that one day, humans would find peace with dragons but something seemed to prevent that for almost 300 years.
"Maaran," Anthia's voice came from behind. "Azora is awake once again."
Maaran nodded. "Tell her I will be there in a few minutes. I have a few things to take care of first."
Anthia smiled at Maaran's back. "Very well." Then she flew off.
He listened as her wingbeats grew softer until they were no longer heard then headed over to Valka's cave. "Valka?" He called from outside the cave and after a moment she appeared.
"Yes?" She said curtly to him.
"I wish to apologize for my behavior. It was unbecoming of me and petty. I just fear for my daughter." He looked her in the eyes. "I will try to accept you but I talked to the king and he wants Azora to walk around some for a week. I want you to stay hidden as much as possible until the king feels sure that she can handle human contact without letting her instincts take over with the fear she feels."
Valka looked at Maaran carefully. "As long as Cloudjumper helps out now and then I will comply with you about being hidden from Azora's sight. How are her wounds doing?"
"The physical wounds are healing slowly and will definitely leave some scars but most will heal without leaving their mark. The mental wounds are not as good. If she doesn't get better mentally she might let her instincts take over completely and all self consciousness will be gone."
Valka looked at him with a little more sympathy. "There is always a reason that everything happens and when it does happen, we have to figure out the next path to take for the future." She sighed gently. "Maaran, this is a test that the gods presented you and your daughter with and now it's up to you two to try and conquer this test. I believe that you care a great deal about Azora but she needs to try and stand on her own paws in order to make a future."
Maaran nodded at Valka's words. "I will try. I might not be young as I once was but I can try and persevere for her sake."
"That's all you need to do, Maaran. Try and succeed in being the best father you can be for her. Support her, love her, be there for her but never try to do things for her, she needs to learn on her own."
Maaran nodded and turned to go back to the healing cave. "I thank you for this talk, Valka." He said before walking off.
"And I appreciate your dedication to your daughter." Valka whispered as a memory of a tiny pale baby with green eyes appeared in the forefront of her mind. Valka shook her head to clear it and continued with her daily rituals.