Author's Note: I can't believe I'm on chapter 50 already! It seems like I started this story yesterday. I have the rest of part three plotted out although I must admit the last few chapters' notes consist of 'something happens" and "I have no idea" but we'll get there! Enjoy!
-50-
She hadn't even realized she'd fallen asleep in the forest. She awoke feeling numb and cold like the night she had fallen asleep before being found by the druids. She shivered, pulling her cloak closer to her body. She had dropped her sword somewhere – or perhaps she hadn't even picked it up from where she had fallen after her confrontation with Morgause. Somehow she didn't care. She huddled where she was until Owl nudged her with her soft nose. Get up, she seemed to say.
"I don't want to get up," Ryll groaned, pushing the mare away. Owl began to paw the ground, nickering deeply in her throat as if trying to warn Ryll. Someone was coming. Ryll got to her feet, realizing how stupid of her it had been not to bring a weapon. It wasn't a someone who was approaching however, it was a something. A large shadow fell over them even in the darkness of the night. There was a great roar and a burst of flames. Screaming erupted from the city.
"What's happening?" Ryll asked aloud. She couldn't see the city from where she was, but the flames rose high up into the sky like fireworks and the roar shook the ground beneath her feet. "I have to go back." Ryll tried to mount Owl, but the little horse was quaking in fear. "What is it?" There was another roar, this time louder. Another burst of flames. "Is that…a dragon?" Ryll didn't know that dragons still existed. She'd never seen one. Could that even be possible? Owl didn't want to steady, but Ryll grabbed her face in her hands. "Calm down," she said. "We need to get to the city." Owl stopped trying to move and allowed Ryll to mount her. Ryll wondered for a moment if her elemental powers could help her control animals. She didn't have time to consider that. She kicked Owl into a gallop and let her find the way out of the forest and into the open.
When they left the cover of the woods, Ryll could see the shape flying above the city, two giant wings outstretched, fire shooting from the great snout. She'd never seen a real dragon before, only pictures in books. It was as awe-inspiring as it was terrifying. "Where did he come from?" Ryll wondered. Her words were drowned out by another tremendous roar. The dragon seemed keen on destroying Camelot. Flames rose up from the lower part of the city. She could see knights rushing around on the parapets, shields hardly ample protection against the fiery inferno the dragon was shooting at them. A volley of arrows swooshed through the night but they bounced right off of the dragon's thick hide. No ordinary weapon was going to bring him down.
They slipped into the gates, and Ryll didn't stop Owl until they had reached the archway that led toward the physician's quarters. She wove between knights and people and flaming carts. Screams erupted behind her as the dragon flew low over the city. As soon as Ryll dismounted, Owl seemed to lose her calm. She reared and screamed in fear. "Owl!" It was too late. The mare took off, fleeing the city. Ryll swore under her breath. Then she turned and raced toward the physician's quarters. She had to just hope that Owl would be alright. People rushed back and forth down the halls, carrying fresh towels and buckets of water. The wounded limped or were supported into the infirmary. Ryll rushed in to find Gwen and Gaius tending the wounded.
"What can I do?" she asked Gaius.
"We need to bandage the wounds," he told her. "I've made a poultice for the burns. Can you wrap them?"
Ryll nodded, quickly washing her hands before grabbing a stack of bandages and applying a layer of poultice. "Where did this dragon come from?" she asked. "I didn't know there were dragons in Camelot."
"This dragon is supposed to be chained up deep under the castle. Uther imprisoned him long ago. I do not know how he escaped. He's the last of his kind."
"He clearly wants to see Camelot in flames." Yet another creature who wanted to see Uther dead. Did his list of enemies ever end? Ryll finished making the poultice bandages and rolled her sleeves up. Then she went around to the burn victims and started wrapping the wounds. Her heart went out to the injured people. Some were knights, others women and children, innocent citizens of Camelot. She wished she still had the ability to heal them. "Where are Arthur and Merlin?" she asked.
"Outside fighting," Gaius said. She could hear the worry in his voice.
"They'll be fine. They know what they're doing." Perhaps they hadn't faced a dragon before, but they'd faced danger plenty of times before. Even still, the thought of them out there facing the dragon – especially Merlin who couldn't even handle a sword… "I should be out there," she said aloud.
"We need you here," Gaius told her. "More and more keep coming. We weren't prepared for this."
"Of course, I'll stay," Ryll said. She grabbed another poultice and began to wrap a woman's burnt arm. The woman was crying in pain, and Ryll tried to soothe her. "You'll be alright," she said. "That dragon doesn't stand a chance against Prince Arthur and his knights."
"It's not that," the woman said. "My daughter – I lost her in the crowd. I tried to go back, but they wouldn't let me. She's out there all alone." She started to get up. "I have to go find her!"
"No, you can't. Your arm is too bad," Ryll told her, pushing her gently back down. "What's her name?"
"Anya."
"Anya. What does she look like?"
"She has black hair and the deepest blue eyes. She's only seven," the woman said.
"Where did you last see her?"
"By the well. We got separated there."
"What if I found her and brought her to you?"
"You would do that for me? But it's dangerous out there. I don't want you getting killed either."
"I won't get killed. I'm not afraid of the dragon," Ryll said, smiling. "I'll find your little girl." Before anyone could stop her, Ryll grabbed a sword from one of the injured knights and headed to the courtyard.
"Amaryllis!" she heard Gaius call out exasperatedly behind her. She kept walking. She had no armor, no shield, no protection, but she knew this was not the way she was fated to die. This gave her strength. She entered the courtyard, eyes watchful for a little girl with black hair and deep blue eyes. She walked past a flaming barrel, feeling the heat lick her skin. A group of knights ran past, swords drawn, shields ready. She spotted something huddled by the well. It was the little girl. She was hardly noticeable where she sat, so small. People rushed past her without even noticing though she cried out for her mother. Ryll took a step forward.
A rush overhead caused her to look up. The dragon was turning around, ready to make another pass at the castle. She needed to get the girl out now before the entire courtyard was incinerated. Ryll ran for the well, stopping when she was crouched beside the girl. "I'm going to bring you to your mum," she told her. "Anya, can you come with me?"
The little girl just stared at her, eyes streaming. She was too petrified to move. "Alright, I'll carry you. Just hold on, alright? I'll get you back into your mother's arms just as soon as I can." She lifted the girl, who was heavier than she expected, and started across the courtyard. The dragon roared. It was nearly upon them. Ryll was defenseless and an easy target. The sword that she gripped in her right hand was useless.
"Get down!" came a shout. Someone thrust a shield over her just as the dragon let out a stream of fire. Ryll crouched where she was, eyes shut tight. The little girl was crying hysterically into her shoulder. Ryll felt someone place a protective arm around them. The shield kept the fire at bay but she could feel the hot inferno from it. The shield wasn't going to hold up if the flames continued. She had broken out in a sweat now and was just about to change her mind about her fate when the fire let up and the dragon moved on to terrorize the knights on the parapets above.
The shield was removed and she was helped to her feet by a familiar looking knight. "Are you alright?" he asked.
"I'm not on fire, so that's a good sign," she said, smiling at him. Leon was his name, she remembered. She'd spoken to him once before. "Thank you. You saved our lives."
"Of course. Anything I can do to help. Shooting arrows and throwing spears isn't doing much good."
"Dragon's have a tough hide. Weapons such as that won't pierce it."
"I'd better get back to it. Stay inside where it's safe," he told her.
"I'm not sure it's safe anywhere," she replied. "Good luck."
"Thank you. I'll need it." Leon ran off, and Ryll entered the castle again, heading toward the infirmary. As soon as the woman saw her daughter, she sat up, crying out to her. Ryll set Anya down and let her run into her mother's outstretched arms.
"Thank you, thank you!" the woman cried out to Ryll. "How can I ever repay you?"
"That's not necessary," Ryll said, feeling embarrassed. "I wasn't going to let her die."
"Thank you." The woman started crying, and Ryll left them in peace.
"That was a brave thing you did," Gaius told her.
"Bravery has nothing to do with it," Ryll replied. "It's a matter of doing the right thing."
"Then maybe some day you can see what Merlin did as doing the right thing. Yes, he told me about it," he added when Ryll looked sharply at him. "He blames himself, you know. He did not want that to happen."
"I know that," Ryll said quietly.
"I only say this because I've seen how sad he's been the last few days. Whatever is going on between the two of you, he's been absolutely miserable. Even Arthur's noticed."
"I just need some time," Ryll said. "The pain is still too fresh."
"Sometimes time does not wait for such wounds to heal. The dragon certainly didn't."
"How are we going to defeat it?" Ryll asked. "I was nearly incinerated out there. Normal weapons won't do anything."
"There is one way." Gaius sounded hesitant.
"Magic?"
"Well, a dragon is a creature of magic. It takes a dragon lord to command one."
"A dragon lord?"
"Someone who can speak the language of the dragons and command them. That is our only hope."
"Does such a person exist?"
"There is one that I know of."
"We must tell Uther then!" Ryll said. "These attacks are only going to get worse."
"Uther is the one who hunted down the dragon lords, do you think he'll be willing to ask for one's help?"
"He has to. It's the only way."
"I'm not sure the dragon lord would want to help Uther after all he's put him through."
"Well something has to be done. The dragon isn't going to stop until Camelot is a pile of ashes with Uther's bones among them."
"You're right. If the dragon does not cease his attacks by the day after tomorrow, I will bring this before the king."
"Why then? Why not right now?"
"Uther needs to be desperate to even consider calling on a dragon lord's help."
"More people are going to die though!"
"And even more will die if he denies the help of a dragon lord. Right now he has every belief that his knights will bring down the dragon."
Ryll sighed. "Why can't he just realize that not all magic is evil? That sometimes in order to fight magic, you need magic on your side."
"I'm not sure it's within his abilities to see magic in such a way."
"No, I don't think so. He won't change now, but he has to see that this is the only way. Two days. He'll be desperate enough by then. If we're even alive by then. What can I do now?" she asked.
"You can check on the bandages. Some might need changing. Gwen's run to get more herbs. I'm running low for my poultices."
"Is Merlin still not back?" Ryll was worried. She hadn't seen him since the day before, since she'd told him she couldn't forgive him and walked away. What if he died? What if she never got the chance to make amends? She felt stricken by this thought.
"Not yet."
"I've got the herbs, Gaius." Gwen walked in then, carrying a basket of herbs which she set on the table.
"Thank you, Gwen."
"Ryll, you're back," she said, turning to Ryll. "I'm glad. When you went out there – I wasn't sure you were coming back."
"I'm fine." Ryll smiled. "It's bad out there though."
"I can't believe this is happening. A dragon of all things? I didn't even know they still existed."
"Have you seen Merlin or Arthur?" Ryll asked her.
"Not recently, no." Gwen looked just as worried as Ryll felt. "Arthur would give his life to protect his people though."
"I'm sure he's fine," Ryll tried to assure her even though she had no idea if this was true. "He's a good warrior – better than good."
Gwen nodded. "I know. If anyone can defeat the dragon, it's him. We just have to hold out until he does."
"I guess we'd better keep working then. I have a feeling the infirmary is going to be full by morning."
They worked together, checking on wounds and reapplying bandages as more and more of the injured were brought in. Those who were well enough moved on to find shelter elsewhere in the castle and free up the beds. Anya and her mother were two of those people. Ryll watched them go wondering how many more families had been separated either by the panic or by death.
Dawn came, and Ryll felt exhaustion creep over her. The roars had died down an hour before, but she didn't trust that the dragon was done with his flight. Only when Arthur and Merlin appeared in the doorway did she realize that it was over. At least for today. It didn't matter what had happened before. Ryll threw her arms around Merlin as he came into the infirmary. "You're safe," Ryll said. For now that was all that mattered.