Well, this wasn't how my day was supposed to go...
"This won't take long," the blond man riding the dragon told me. "Just be patient." Be patient? Where else was I supposed to go? His dragon was carrying me in his mouth away from Elias who was miles away by now.
"I waited outside for two whole hours, you know," Simon told us drinking his tea. "It may be nearly summer, but it's still nippy out." Elias had moved the red cloth back over his face to hide the skull.
"Why stay so long? You could have returned to your church and called again tomorrow," Elias told him.
"That would've been equally annoying in its own right," Simon told him.
"Reika, there's no need for you to be nervous," Elias told me. "Simon is the cowardly sort."
"Too true," Simon assured me. "I'm but a poor little lamb cowering before the great and mighty made here."
"Die."
"That was cruel."
"Back to the subject at hand. Reika, Simon is the pastor of the village church," Elias told me. A pastor and a mage getting along, who knew? "He serves as both Pastor and Priest, but he isn't terribly gifted on either front. He's quite indecisive, too."
"Hey! I'm well-rounded," Simon defended. Or they don't. Elias seems especially annoyed by the man. I grabbed the sandwich Silky placed in front of me as she placed her arms around my neck and pulled me away from him. She obviously didn't like him any more than Elias did. Was it a neighbor thing? "Reika..." I turned to the Pastor. "I think I can see what's happened." He placed his hand on my head and Silky pulled tried pulling me even further away. "You've been through some difficult times. You've done well, getting this far. If this hermit tires of you, you're always welcome at my church. You can lean on me."
"Die." The priest continued to ruffle my hair until I pushed his hand off my head.
"I thank you for the offer, but I won't need to accept it," I told him fixing my ruffled hair. Why have total strangers been so kind? They don't know me or what my life has been like.
"Tell us why you're here," Elias told him. "What's so serious that you stood in the cold for two hours rather than delay further?"
"There are three matters we can't handle, for various reasons, but I doubt they'll prove challenging for you."
"Three?" Elias asked him. "That's quite a few."
"Payback for the trouble you're causing me," Simon told him. "Setting aside the other alchemists for the moment, your recent behavior is not insignificant." Recent behavior? "You've been quiet for decades, and now you suddenly take an apprentice? The other incidents were small enough to gloss over, but I can't avoid reporting this to my superiors."
"I wasn't under the impression that I was accountable to your church," Elias said with, what sounded like sarcasm in his tone.
"I know, and this is as much a nuisance for me as for you," Simon insisted. "I'm sure you'd rather avoid fanning any flames, however negligible they'd be for you. And we, in turn, don't want to stir up trouble with a mage who's already lived longer than we know."
"How many centuries will it take for your superiors to become less hidebound?" Elias asked him. Centuries? How long had Elias been alive? "Isn't that covered by some commandment from your God or His son?"
"You ask too much of them," Simon told him.
"Is my being here causing you trouble?" I asked Elias causing both men to stare at me.
"None of this is your fault, I swear," Simon told me with a soft smile. "Buying you was hardly commendable of Ainsworth, but it was humane. It simply brought some difficulties too."
After telling us all about the issues the church was having right now he rose from his seat with a small groan.
"Well, I've said my piece. I'll be on my way. Might I have the usual before I go?" Simon asked him.
"Yes." Silky brought him a bag and he picked it up and looked at me.
"His medicine is the only thing that eases my cough," Simon explained. "In fact, all of the villagers come to Ainsworth for medicine."
"You let them see your face?" I asked.
"Of course not! I wear an illusion, as I did earlier," he explained. "Besides, our Silky does most of the face-to-face selling for me. Studying magic includes learning to make medicine. If you make it following the laws of the mystic, they become Panacea."
"A mage's medicines are effective and easy on the body," Simon told me. "Learn well, okay?" He ruffled my hair again before going to the door. He waved as he walked away from us at the doorway.
"I thought he wouldn't respect you because of the differences between his religion and what you do," I told Elias as he removed the red cloth from his face.
"The nature of this country is a factor," Elias explained. "Britain is a land of old magic. Mages have long been a respected part of life here. Now then, Reika. Since we have more errands, how about we add our honeymoon to the list."
"I don't even remember agreeing to be your wife!"
One of the issues Simon had given Elias and I was in Iceland.
"The dragons have grown more active lately," Elias explained again. "We've been asked to look in on them."
"Dragons? Really?" I asked him as I walked in front of him, my breath coming out in puffs of hot air.
"Indeed. They have an Aeire in Iceland. Given the country's remote location and sparse population, it's the perfect place. Both magic and alchemy have been used to hide it from normal humans' eyes. Dragons once thrived around the world, but now only a few isolated groups remain. Like the dinosaurs of old, they're slowly going extinct."
"I remember reading that dragons have hoards and can be scary and dangerous. Are those things true?" I asked him.
"Of individuals, perhaps," he told me. "Most like that were weeded out long ago. Surviving dragons are generally pleasant. The heroic tales of old are generally human accounts of events that those aggressive individuals..." I never got to hear the rest of what he'd said due to the dragon grabbing me in its mouth in front of Elias. "Reika!"
"Elias!" We reached for each other so he could pull me away from the dragon and its rider, but the dragon flew away before he could.
"Ha! Guess he's still a greenhorn," the rider said. "Especially if he can't keep hold of one apprentice! He may have more power than he knows what to do with, but he's still unguarded as a babe."
"Who are you?!" I shouted at him. "Why did you...?!"
"I'll tell all once we reach our land. There, see?" I looked in the direction we were flying. "It's not that far. Welcome to the last home of the dragons." In front of us, dozens of dragons were flying in the air and I marveled at the sight. Dragons, who I'd thought hadn't existed were flying in front of me. It wasn't long until we finally landed. Close by were two smaller dragons, at least I thought they were dragons. The dragon holding me raised its head up and I stared at the ground in fear. "Go on. Set her down." The dragon lowered me as though to place me gently on the ground before spitting me out into the water. I quickly held my breath before I felt the freezing water tear through me. I quickly swam away from where I'd been thrown in the water for as long as I could before I'd needed air again. I took a deep gasp of air as I swam towards shore. I pulled myself up by the rocks close to shore before noticing the large dragon laying on the shore.
"We have a visitor. How unusual. You smell like a mage." I said as I moved closer to him. "A tender you one. You must be but a hatchling. And I smell rocks and flowers in profusion- flowers that do not bloom here. It is an appealing scent." My scent? Could he be blind? He was covered in moss and lichen, like a rock, only bigger.
"His kind are Uir Arach- Earth Dragons." I turned to see the rider from my kidnapping standing behind me. "They are both father and mother to the deep forest. Fresh life springs from their decaying bodies." I hadn't noticed his blonde hair pooling on his shoulders before. His blue eyes held knowledge and kindness. "My apologies for the rough greeting. Welcome to the land of the dragon, Thorn's Child."
"How do you know who I am?" I asked him.
"The Ariels were all atwitter with the news that Thorn had finally taken an apprentice. Their gossip is quite literally as swift as the wind," he explained. The water around my legs churned with every small movement. "Ah! You were quicker this time How long will you hide in her shadow, Thorn? Or, no, pardon me... Ainsworth?" My shadow rose up and I felt the comfort of Elias' hand on my shoulder pressing me into his chest.
"I was politely waiting for you to finish your boring stories, old coot." Did Elias not like this man either?
"I see our penchant for toying with others hasn't changed in the last three centuries, Echos."
"Elias..." I sneezed into my open hands before I was suddenly lifted up into his arms causing me to squeak in surprise. "Gracious, you're drenched right through.
Nettle in the lock
False holly in a ring
I noticed an Ariel, or what looked like an Ariel on fire, fly around me before I was suddenly dry.
"Thank you," I mumbled as my face turned red.
"What are you smirking about?" Elias asked the man standing in front of us.
"What, me?" he asked with his smirk growing wider. "It's just adorable to see the little boy at being a father."
"Hmph! Reika, this is Lindel," Elias introduced. "He is caretaker of the Dragons' Aerie, and a mage, like me." I looked back at Lindel to see him petting one of the younger dragons on the head.
"Caretaker?" I asked. Did dragon's need a caretaker?
"Yes. He is charged with watching over this place and ensuring it stays hidden from human scrutiny," Elias explained. So Lindel protected the dragons from the humans. "Don't be fooled by his appearance or childish pranks. He's even older than I am."
"Really?" I asked in shock as Elias put me down.
"Hey!"
"Hey! Hey-!" I looked down to see two young dragons staring up at me. "Done talking yet? We wanna play!"
"Yeah! Play!"
"Let's play!"
Those are dragon chicks," Lindel explained. "The winged one is a Goath Arach, and that's a Beanna, at your feet - Wind and Hill dragons. The slower stockier one is another Uil. The alchemists love to five different species tongue-twisting "scientific" names, but if you're going to give a name, why not one that's easy to say?"
"Lindel, has there been trouble here of late?" Elias asked him. "Tell me what's been happening."
"Is that lot all worked up over nothing again?" Lindel sighed. "Prey's been scarce, so some dragons are hunting further afield. That's all. Reika, be a dear and play with them, would you?"
"Wait, what?" I asked as the two men walked away from me. "Okay then..." I turned to the dragons and knelt down. "What do you want to play?
"Oh! We can climb up there and jump!" The winged dragon said excitedly. "It's gliding practice! We'll see who make it to the lake! You can fly, right? I heard humans learned how!"
"Unfortunately I'm not one of them," I said with a sweatdrop and a smile. I hadn't noticed how close we were to the older dragon until I looked up at him. I felt like an ant next to him! I lightly touched his wings and ran my hand along the hard surface. They were old and frail he probably hadn't flown in decades, if not more.
"Have you never seen a dragon before?" He asked me and I jumped slightly. I thought he'd been sleeping. I moved away from him quickly removing my hand from his skin.
"I shouldn't have touched you without asking. I thought you were sleeping." I blushed as I realized what I'd said. "I'm sorry."
"Apologies, child. That was not my meaning. I am fated to return home soon. I thought you'd find more amusement with the chicks than with one like me."
"I thought this was your home?" I asked confused.
"Uncle Nevin's awake!"
"It'll happen soon, won't it, Uncle Nevin?"
"What's going to happen?" I asked, my confusion growing.
"Uncle Nevin's gonna turn into a tree!"
"Yeah! All uil turn into really strong trees or neat grasses one day!"
"We're all gonna turn into something awesome when we die! Like trees or rocks or moss!"
"Yeah!"
"They are both father and mother to the deep forest. Fresh life springs from their decaying bodies."
"When you die...?" I felt my tongue turn to lead at the words.
"Unlike humans, we do not fear death," he told me. "We live our lives to the fullest, without regrets."
She smiled at me before letting go."
"Is it going to hurt?" I asked him softly once again placing my hand on his frail, torn wing.
"You are a kind child. We dragons fear nothing. We understand that death comes to all living things in time, without exception. All things taste the joys and sorrows of life, and all will know the loneliness of death. I have a full life. And a long one, for a dragon. The new age belongs to the new generation. There is no need for you to grieve." Can I grieve? Do I even really know how? I'd lost so much and such a short amount of time that...
Why didn't I follow her?
"The living should not envy the dead." My eyes snapped open at his words. "It's good that you chose not to "fly" after your sister that day without wings. Had he not met you, I would expect he would not have known for a long, long time who to take as his apprentice."
"Did you just... see my memories...?"
"Ah. We freely share thoughts and information of things such as danger or good hunting grounds. I see that it's inappropriate with humans. Your pardon," he said calmly.
"It's not your fault," I whispered.
"Perhaps," he started saying. "It would be wise for me to show you the true joy of flight, wingless one. I no longer have the strength to fly, but you can see the sky in my memories. Come. I will show you." I took a deep breath as bright lights covered my vision. I looked down and laughed in happiness at the ground far beneath my feet, our shadows flowing over the earth like waves on the water. In front of us was the most beautiful sunrise I'd ever seen. "My kind have abandoned the sky, but we remain fated to live beneath it. Your name contains the word "wolf". You too should live and run under this sky." We flew for a while longer before I finally opened my eyes and heard something creaking above me. I looked up to see a tree coming out of Nevin's body.
"A tree...!"
"Thank you. With you here, I was able to fly one last time."
"But I didn't do anything to help."
"You did," he insisted. "The magic you harbor made my last dream unusually vivid. Not long ago, Lindel planted a small seed on my body. Great trees don't grow easily in this land, but with my body for its seedbed, I'm sure this one will be tall and mighty. I'm told it will bear beautiful white blossoms in springtime. You'll be a mage one day, won't you?" I nodded unable to speak due to the sorrow filling my throat. "Then you will need a wand. Comeback someday... and take one of my branches... for it. Goodnight... little mage..." I didn't stop my tears as they made waterfalls down my cheeks.
"Welcome back, Reika." I turned to see Elias standing behind me. "Was Nevin's sky beautiful?"
"Yes," I answered. "The sun was coming up over the ocean."
"You saw a very rare thing today," he told me. "Not many witness a dragon's return to the earth." I looked back up at the tree growing so quickly. "This is a Linden
Tree. It will have exquisite little white flowers."
"There's no cause for sorrow, Reika," Lindel told me. "Nature took its course. From the earliest of days, dragons have desired to pass on quietly and become home to new life."
"I see." Lindel put his hand gently on my head in comfort I'd imagine.
"When the time comes, Reika, let us do as Necin suggested and come take a branch for our wand," Elias told me.
"My wand?" I asked him.
"Indeed. But for today, our errand here is complete. It's time we went home."
"What, leaving already?" Lindel asked him as the baby dragons loved on my midsection.
"Yes. I've been made responsible for other errands as well," Elias informed him.
"So? Forget them and visit a while longer. Whoever expected you to be serious and responsible?"
"Oh, hush!" I looked back up at the tree. Death is just nature taking its course. Why am I so upset? I didn't know him? A flash red made me gasp and turn to see Elias with his red mask back on and covering his face once more.
"Reika, we are leaving," he told me and I nodded my head before moving to his side again.
"I'm ready to go." My head suddenly felt light and the world began to spin.
"Reika!" I felt arms wrap around my waist before my world went dark.