Dragons of Summer Tide (The Dragons of Hwandor) (26 page)

Cyerant stopped and spun to see that Cyool had landed on the trail just ahead of two horses one of which had carried a woman rider who was now on the ground where she had been thrown. The young dragon was standing up on two legs with her wings spread wide to make herself look as large and menacing as possible – and even though she was only the size of a hunting dog she was a dragon and that can be very menacing indeed. In their panic one of the horses had fallen and the other was turning to flee up the trail. The fallen horse struggled to its feet and fled up the trail also. The woman sat on the ground with a horrified expression, her mouth still agape though her breath had long since left her with her scream. The dragon stood silently looking at the woman as the echoes of its roar reverberated off of the trees of the surrounding forest.  The dragon took one more step toward the woman and its long neck darted out and it roared a last time into the face of the terrified woman. The dragon leaped straight at the woman who collapsed backward and rolled up like a baby shaking in fear. The leap of the dragon looked as if it was to be an attack but the dragon spread her wings and lifted herself into flight and rapidly vanished into the dark up the trail where she could be heard urging the horses to greater efforts in the flight. The dragon was out of sight before the echoes of her screams had died away into the forest.

Cyerant decided to keep to the trees as he returned to the city and only come out of the protective cover of the forest when he was in sight of the gates of the city. It would take him a little more than an hour to get back to the city but it would be a bit safer should the woman manage to find the courage to follow him. A few minutes later he heard the sound of much larger wings in the air above him.

*****

As the men carrying the unconscious old mage entered the courtyard of the tower followed by a crowd the air was rent by a horrible shrieking roar which continued to peel through the city, reverberating across the buildings. The sound of hoof beats could be heard coming from around the building and as everyone looked they could see a colt running around the corner from the back of the building and across the courtyard. Just as the small horse reached half way across the courtyard it spread its wings and the gigantic dragon took flight barley clearing the fence and sending scores of people from the crowd in the street diving for cover as their screams filled the air. The dragon turned and flew north as it struggled to gain height and rise into the night sky. The large crowd of people was frozen in terror and wonder as they watched the dragon disappear up the street and into the night sky.

After a few moments of shock the crowd started to sound like the buzzing of bees as they all started talking at the same time. The people could not believe their own eyes and were all explaining to one another what they had seen. There was a cacophony of voices filling the night. The physician ordered the men to get the stricken mage into the tower. The men bearing the old man followed the physician as he led them into the front door of the tower hoping that there were no more horrifying protective spells like the illusion that they had just experienced. It had been so realistic an illusion that they had felt the wind from the wings of the magical beast as it flew over their heads.

*****

Shira had just described to her companions how Cyool had landed on the trail in front of the horses and stopped the woman from capturing Cyerant. Jolss returned to his insistent pleading. “I have to find her, I can feel her out there but she is hurt or sick or something. I don’t know what but something is wrong.” The boy was starting to become frantic and sounded as though he were about to panic.  The boy went silent when the air was rent by a dragon roar echoing from a distance somewhere ahead followed by the screams of people – lots of people.

The three companions looked at one another and began to run toward the sound – toward the tower. Up ahead of them the three saw something large and shadowy hurtling through the air as it passed across the street that they were on. It was flying at almost rooftop level and angling up into the night sky as it flew along a cross street to the street they were on. Moments later, they reached the cross street and looked after the dragon that they had seen. It had disappeared into the night sky, but the companions knew that they had seen Corth taking wing to join Cyerant to the north of the city. Veer looked over at Shira and asked. “Is Cyerant in trouble?”

“No, I can… Cyool can see him moving alone through the trees along side of the road coming back. And the woman looks like she is just sitting there in the forest near where her horses threw her.”

“Corth must have sensed that Cyerant was in danger,” said Veer. “Well the dragon will find him soon enough.

Then the companions could hear the buzz of a crowd of voices behind them and they turned to see that there was a large group of people standing just up the street in front of the tower. Most of them were still looking into the sky beyond the three companions, and some were pointing after the dragon. The sound coming from the crowd was that of everyone trying to speak at once.

The companions knew that this was not good as they exchanged glances. Veer said, “I guess that a lot of people just saw a dragon. Well, they’ve no way to know that we are anything other than three people staying at the tower, so let’s just walk through like we are coming back from the fire and have no idea what just happened.

The three companions walked toward the tower gate and had to gently push their way through the crowd of people waiting to find out how their new hero, the mage, was faring. As they moved through the crowd they could hear many voices describing the sight that they had just seen. As they got to the gates the companions found the way barred by some city guards who had taken positions there to keep people from flooding into the building. One of the guards recognized Jolss and said to the other. “That one’s that apprentice what was with the wizard in the magistrate’s court. I reckon that he belongs in the tower.” The guards parted and let the boy, his two older companions and their dog through into the tower grounds.

As the three companions entered the tower they could see that Partonius had been brought to a couch in the entry hall. The old man seemed to be in a deep sleep and he was being attended by a middle aged physician. Every candle in the room was ablaze to give as much light as possible to the physician. There was a group of four men off to the side watching and awaiting instruction. The physician looked up and asked, “Ah, you there boy, you are his apprentice, correct?” Without even waiting for an answer the man went on. “Is his bed somewhere above? He needs to be in his own bed so these men will carry him there if you will show them where it is.”

“No, no his bed is on this floor now. It is in a library room. I will show you.” Jolss led the men to the converted library room that Partonius used for a bedchamber now. The men carried the old mage very gently and with great respect. The physician directed the operation until the mage was safely and snugly tucked into his own bed in the tower.

Jolss recognized the voice of the magistrate approaching the door of the room. As he looked up the man entered and immediately addressed the doctor. “Will he be alright Healer? A fire like that could have caught most of the city. Incredible thing the Magister here has done.”

The physician looked up as the magistrate approached him. “He is stricken with some weakness and he sleeps very deeply. This sort of sleep comes upon some who have injured their heads. As far as I can see there is no injury or illness. There just seems to be a deep exhaustion almost as if he is tired nearly to the point of death.”

“Will he recover?” Asked the magistrate.

“I do not know.” Said the physician. “There is simply nothing known about this sort of thing with mages. I will arrange with the guild of midwives for there to be one of them here to nurse him for the time being.”

“Midwives?” The magistrate responded. “He isn’t having a baby.”

The physician gave the magistrate a sharp look and said. “I know that you are the new magistrate for Deelt, here in our city we know that the midwives are also the best nurses so the guild of midwives manages all nursing and childbirth.”

“Oh, I see.” Answered the magistrate. “Good idea, that. Did you see this dragon of which the crowd is speaking?”

    “Yes,” answered the physician. “It was some sort of illusion. Most likely the mages use illusions like that to scare away intruders.”

“Yes, quite so. It seems that you have things well in hand Healer, very well. Keep me updated on his progress then. I will go and deal with this crowd. That boy there is an apprentice so he may be able to find a book here on these shelves that can tell you more about this sort of deep sleep for mages.” The magistrate looked at Jolss and said. “Boy, I want you to look through these shelves and find a book that can help the healer with your master there.” Without waiting for a response the magistrate turned and left the room speaking to nobody in particular the magistrate continued to talk. “Clear this crowd… home to their beds…. dragon was an illusion….”

The physician watched the magistrate leave and shook his head after a pause. “Has the man left any air in the room for anyone else?” He then nodded to the four men and then toward the door silently dismissing them and then turned toward the apprentice. “What he said about searching for a book that speaks of this is actually a good idea. If you know of such a book or can find one please bring it to me.” Jolss simply nodded and the man continued. “I have already sent for the midwives so there will be regular nurses here to take care of him, the first should arrive shortly.” Then the man turned and left.

Jolss walked over to where the mage lay barely breathing and he could hear his friends entering the room behind him. Jolss started to say something but was cut off.

“Out, out, there will be no dogs in a sickroom while I’m here.” A big booming female voice filled the room. As the companions turned they saw a short, stocky middle aged woman entering the room. They wondered how such a big voice could come from such a small woman. The woman walked over to a desk in the room and promptly placed a bundle that she had been carrying on top of the papers and books scattered across the desk. Then she turned to face the companions and their dog. The woman looked right at Drace and pointed toward the door and shouted “Out!”

The dog that the woman saw standing there raised his hackles and growled deeply in his throat. The woman looked about her quickly and saw a sheaf of papers bound in soft leather sitting on the desk. She picked it up and rolled it and took two quick steps toward the dog and smacked the dog right across the nose with the roll. Veer felt a sense of complete shock come over him as the woman stood over the dog and pointed at the door with the roll and once again shouted. “Out, I said!” Drace was so shocked that he responded by skulking out of the room with his head and tail down.

The sight of the battle dragon being scolded by the woman caused Shira to snicker. Veer cut his eyes and glared at the girl.

“Now, you three.” The woman said while eying the companions. “Listen here, I am Vara and the doctor has asked me here to nurse this man. You’ll not just be hanging about in his room staring at him… so you can get about your business. I’ll take care of him, but I’m not here to wet nurse you three so you tend to yourselves. Do you understand?”  The three young people nodded. “I have smacked the life into the backside of half the children in Deelt for the last twenty-five years and I won’t mind smacking the life out of three if they get in my way.” Focusing her eyes on Jolss. “I’m told that you have some books to be tending to, and your friends here can help.” Jolss nodded. “Go!” The woman yelled.

Jolss quickly headed for the door followed by Veer and Shira. As they got into the hallway Shira leaned toward Veer and said. “That is one loud nurse.”

“A loud nurse with good ears, girl.” The voice boomed behind them.

The companions hastened their steps to get to the entry hall where they could speak. Veer asked Shira. “How is Cyerant doing?”

“Oh, Corth found him and they are walking back together. Actually, they just passed into the gates of the city and should be here in about ten minutes.” Then the girl went and opened front door to the tower and a few moments later Cyool came inside and found a corner where the dragon promptly curled up and went to sleep, very satisfied with herself.

“I have to go find her,” Jolss said. “I have to go now.”

“We will go and find her, Jolss,” said Shira.

Veer got up and as he walked to the cold fireplace in the room he said. “We need to wait for Cyerant to get here and then we need a plan and to get some supplies so we can’t leave before the morning.”

“I have to go now, she needs me. I can feel it she is sick or hurt or something.”

Shira said. “Wait for your brother to get here and we can all decide what to do together.”

“We don’t have to decide. I know what I am doing. I’m going after her now – tonight.” Jolss said.

“Wait and talk to your brother.” Veer said as he set about lighting the fire to take the chill out of the room.

“Yes, talk to your brother.” Cyerant said as he entered through the front door followed closely by a dragon the size of a small horse.

Jolss started to speak but was interrupted by the sound of a booming female voice coming into the room from the hallway to the kitchen and dining room. “The door to the back garden from the kitchen is broken, like some thug has put his shoulder to it, one of you is going to have to… A horse, now there’s a horse inside? Get it out! Now! Is everyone in this tower mad?” The woman looked around and saw Cyool curled up just as two puppies ran by her into the room. “More dogs! Madness! Well I have a patient to attend to, no horses inside and no dogs in the sick room.” She pinned Veer down with her eyes and said. “You can build another fire in the sickroom to take the chill outta there.” She looked at Cyerant. “You get that horse outside in the stables.” She looked at Jolss. “You have books to attend.” Looking at Shira she finished with. “And that leaves you to find some tools and start fixing that door and these boys can help when they are done with what they have to do.” She turned and stormed from the room.