“Yes,” Fanchon said. “We know how to bring water into a home without drawing it from a well with a bucket and how to clean the dirty water before it returns to the stream. That is only one of probably many things we do differently. There are things we have chosen to abandon so that we can live outside the valley we were born in. Life will be harder, but we have confidence it must be done.”
“It will take time to convince the others to trust you, but perhaps in time you can teach us some of what you know,” the man said.
“I will speak to my group about your village. We have not yet discussed laws of our own, but I’m glad you brought that need to my attention. My wife and I will make laws that are simple and fair.”
“You are welcome in this village Fanchon,” the man said. “My name is Buckley.”
Chapter Twenty: Aloysia’s Talent
Fanchon wiped the sweat from his brow as he studied the unfinished sword. The design he had chosen was not a simple one and involved making the hilt from brass. He had created a dragon whose body would be the grip with outstretched wings as a cross guard and tail as a knuckle guard. The tang of the sword would fit into the throat of the dragon. It had taken him most of a week to forge the sword. All that was left was to join the blade to the hilt and sharpen it. He had created a beautiful fabric lined wooden box to store the sword in until it was needed. Although it would harm any not its master the sword would be both beautiful and a functioning weapon.
‘Night is falling,’ Malvin reminded him.
‘Once joined they will never come apart,’ Fanchon replied silently. ‘I hope I got the balance right.’
He slid the tang of the blade into the hilt until he felt it click into place. He balanced the sword on his finger and was pleased with the result. He carefully sharpened it and polished the metal as the sun set turning the sky into a blaze of color.
‘Tomorrow is our last day together,’ Malvin said in a sad tone.
‘You shall be missed as will Fae when she dies.’
‘You have been like a son to me,’ Malvin said. ‘Aylward will hatch shortly after Etana and will be her mate.’
‘We will care for them. That I promise.’
“Fae told me you were ready to put the sword in the box,” Aloysia said as she came out of the tunnel carrying the box and a torch. “She also told me that I was to be the last to touch it.”
She placed the torch in a crack at the tunnel entrance then held out the box on her hands. Fanchon opened the box and gently placed the sword in it along with the sheath and belt he had made for it.
“Ki-Mal told me that your talent is an ancient one that has not been needed for many generations. It will bind this weapon to the man worthy to bear it. No other can touch it,” Fanchon replied as he took the box from her.
She nodded before beginning to glow a deep dark red. She closed her eyes as she placed her fingertips on the sword. The sword began to glow red but soon the glow turned orange which shifted to yellow then green and finally blue. Under her fingertips letters began to form down the center of the blade.
“Lord of Dragons, Protector of Men, pure of heart, strong of body and mind. Imposters beware!” Aloyisa spoke the words forcefully.
The words and the tone of voice struck fear in his heart for a moment. As she opened her eyes and raised her hands the words she had spoken were engraved on the blade. She gently closed the box as her glow faded.
“It is done,” she said softly. “Now it will await the man capable of wielding it.”
“There is much to do before then,” Fanchon said. “We must teach our children the things that will prepare our heirs to rule over Dracona and lead our people back to where they came from before arriving in Glynis.”
“I’m tired.”
‘Sleep well and I will see you in the morning,’ Malvin told them.
Aloysia carried the torch and Fanchon carried the box down the tunnel to the main cavern where the others were waiting.
“We want to see it,” Markus said.
“Just don’t touch it,” Fanchon said.
“You can always polish it again,” Mari said.
“It’s not that,” he said.
“I finally found out what my talent is,” Aloysia said. “It is one that hasn’t been used for a very long time. My talent is to bind a weapon to a single warrior. The message on the blade wasn’t there before I touched it. It is a warning.”
She opened the box and everyone crowded around to get a better look.
“It’s so beautiful,” Sarma sighed.
“I see what you mean about it being a warning,” Tor said.
“It looks sharp,” Gareth said.
“I do not know what power the blade possesses other than it can only be wielded by one man,” Fanchon said. “I forged the sword to be a weapon regardless of its powers. It is sharper than my own blade and perfectly balanced.”
“For now it will remain in the box,” Aloysia said. “Fae sees a time when it will be needed to defend and rebuild Dracona before our people return to their original home.”
“We’re all tired,” Fanchon said. “Let’s get some sleep.”
Chapter Twenty One: Malvin’s Sacrifice for the Future
Fanchon really didn’t want to get up in the morning knowing that Malvin would soon die.
‘I don’t want to die either, but I know it must be done,’ the tone of Malvin’s voice revealed his sorrow. ‘I know I would die within weeks if I didn’t commit myself to the volcano tonight. This will insure Dracona’s future.’
Fanchon finally got out of bed. Aloysia hugged him. The cheek she pressed against his was wet. He wiped her tears and kissed her tenderly as the baby kicked against him.
“It won’t be much longer before we are parents,” Aloysia said. “Glynis seems so long ago now.”
“This is now our home. We’ll finish the castle and it will be filled with love and laughter,” Fanchon said.
They walked out to the great cavern where the others were beginning to gather for breakfast. Malvin and Fae lay nearby. The meal was eaten nearly in silence.
“Today is Malvin’s last day among us,” Fanchon said breaking the awkward silence by speaking of what was on everyone’s mind. “We owe a lot to Malvin and he will never be forgotten. Without him we would not have the castle so nearly completed. Soon the eggs will hatch. The new dragons will not replace Malvin in our hearts but will be a piece of him that is ever present in our lives.”
There were many nods among the group.
“I’ve been drawing something,” Leora said quietly. “I used to make pictures from pieces of stone. I was thinking we needed something beautiful for the floor of the great hall.”
“Show them, dear,” Marcus said and she picked up a scroll of paper that had been between them.
She unrolled the paper and laid it out on the sand. The drawing showed a large dragon at the top with wings outspread. There were other dragons forming a border along with another large dragon below the first one also facing the center so that either end could be up.
“When facing the doors to the cavern you would see Fae and when facing the outer doors you would see Malvin,” Leora said.
“It’s beautiful,” Aloysia said. “Fae likes it.”
‘I do too,’ Malvin said.
“Malvin likes it as well.”
‘I want to take you flying so you can see the world as I see it,’ Malvin said. ‘Someday you can go flying with Aylward.’
“I’m going to spend some time with Malvin. He wants to take me flying,” Fanchon said.
Although some expressed concerns over his safety Aloysia simply kissed his cheek. He climbed up Malvin’s offered foreleg and onto his shoulder’s in front of his wings. Malvin took him to the outer entrance to his den then launched into the sky. Fanchon’s heart was pounding as the dragon took him higher.
‘Relax, I will keep you safe.’
Fanchon began to relax as Malvin leveled out gliding on his outstretched
wings. He could see the village, then Malvin turned towards the mountain. The cattle grazed below near a small lake. There were more mountains and high valleys before they came to an area that was all black rock devoid of even plants for the most part. Beyond the rocky cliff stretched an ocean. It wasn’t long before the island came into view.
‘Fae told me that all of this is your land. She said even the black cliffs can support life if food is collected from the ocean.’
Malvin turned back to reveal the waves crashing against the cliffs.
‘Your dreams have revealed your past to me. I know you have doubts about your decisions, but I know that something brought you to help us. For that I am grateful. I will die knowing that both your descendants and mine will prosper in Dracona.’
‘I really didn’t know quite what I was doing when I left my family behind,’ Fanchon admitted. ‘I am grateful to have found you as well.’
They returned home to find the others working on the castle. When night fell Fanchon knew it would soon be time. Everyone gathered around Malvin after supper was finished to say farewell. Fanchon and Aloysia walked with the dragon deeper into the mountain. When they reached the center there was a large cavern with an open pit large enough to swallow a dragon whole.
“Goodbye, Malvin,” Fanchon said in a whisper.
“We’ll care for the hatchlings,” Aloysia said. “We’ll miss you.”
Malvin softly nuzzled each of them before turning to Fae. The two dragons nuzzled each other before Malvin turned and dove into the pit. Smoke rose from the pit along with an acrid smell before a glow began just above the pit in the center of the glow was a strangely dressed woman holding something in her hands.
“Malvin’s sacrifice will insure the future of Dracona’s dragons and your people,” the woman said. “You in turn must guard and protect Dracona. Fanchon I give you the title Lord Dracona and Aloysa Lady Dracona. Your family name is Donley. Take this stone box and keep it safe for a time your descendant must speak the key given to you by Malvin to insure Dracona’s safety. It will bind him and his lady together and to Dracona.”
Fanchon held out his hands and the woman placed the heavy box in them.
“I don’t understand how the words Malvin gave me can be a key but I have written them down to memorize them,” Fanchon said. “We are now using only the local language and will not teach the old language to our children.”
“In time that language and the knowledge of their past will be fully restored to your descendants. Guard well the dragons for they are precious to your people. Their fate and yours will always be one.”
The woman flickered like a candle before vanishing.
Chapter Twenty Two: Refuge from the Storm
Fanchon woke to a loud crack of thunder that rattled the shutters. He sat up to find Aloysia sitting in on the settee between their children Greta and Matias with a quilt wrapped around them. Their faces were pale and eyes wide.
“I don’t know how you could sleep through this,” she said as there was a knock on the door.
“Come,” Fanchon said.
The door opened and Kennard entered.
“Everyone is frightened Father,” Kennard said. “They are afraid of the storm.”
“Gather everyone in the dining hall,” Fanchon said and Kennard left.
‘I will have word passed by the dragons,’ Aylward told him as more thunder rattled the shutters again.
Greta pulled the quilt over her head and Matias buried his face in his mother’s shoulder.
“Let’s get dressed,” Fanchon said. “It will be alright.”
Kennard would soon turn one hundred and showed signs of being a good leader. Greta was fifty but still timid at times. Matias was nineteen afraid of nothing, well nothing except this storm. Fanchon led the family out into the hall where others were coming out of their rooms. They met more people going down the stairs to the dining hall. Eventually everyone was accounted for. He stood at the head table and looked out over the frightened faces as a lightning lit around the shutters for a second before thunder followed. Some of the children hid under the tables.
“I know this is the worst storm we’ve ever seen, but this castle is strong and safe,” Fanchon said. “Having several weeks of storms that have gotten progressively worse has made all of us nervous.”
“What about the lightning Lord Fanchon?” someone asked. “There was a cow that was struck last week. It was killed instantly and half cooked. The tree it was next to was split in half”
There were gasps and murmuring among the people.
“I know,” Fanchon answered. “We are safe within this castle. When we were building it Malvin mentioned the lightning was drawn to the veins of metal in the mountains. We made a thick rope of metal to go from the very top of the castle to deep under the ground on the north side of the castle. I’ve seen lightning strike the pole on top of the castle and the rope carry the lightning into the ground.”
Another crack of thunder interrupted him.
‘The village has been flooded,’ Aylward said. ‘The people are frightened and confused.’
“Aylward just reported that the villager nearby is flooded,” Fanchon said. “Their homes are built from wood alone, not the strong stone we are surrounded by. We may need to give them aid in rebuilding. This storm will pass and we will be safe.”
“I am grateful for this strong castle along with all of our friends and family here,” Kennard said as he stood up beside Fanchon.
“The village has flooded before and will flood again,” Fanchon said. “Here we have water that is clean and safe to drink that comes to every bathing chamber in the entire castle. It is warmed by the heat of the volcano. I know the storm is frightening but here we are safe.”
“Let’s all have some warm cider to drink until the storm passes,” Aloysia said.
Everyone spent the rest of the night in the dining hall. The storm broke and began to clear at sunrise. The courtyard of the castle was full of debris blown in by the storm and the kitchen garden was barely salvageable. It was late afternoon a few days later that they finally had most of the courtyard cleaned up. As he walked out of the portcullis Fanchon noticed a couple of men approach from the south. They were covered in mud and appeared exhausted as one dropped to the ground.
“Bring two horses quickly,” Fanchon said to Tor.
He ran over to where the second man sank to his knees beside the other.
“Are you from the village?” Fanchon asked and the man nodded. “You are safe here. We’ll get you inside so you can clean up and rest. We’ll be having supper in about an hour.”
Tears began to run down the man’s face. Fanchon helped Tor get the two men onto the horses. Other men joined in to carry them up to rooms on the first floor. Fanchon helped with the man who had been on his knees. The man was at first frightened of the dragon head faucet but soon relaxed into the warm water.
“The village flooded and most of the fields were washed away,” the man said at last. “Some are now covered by the stream. It won’t be long before it starts washing homes away. Everyone wants to move. Some have left already.”
“My dragon told me the village flooded,” Fanchon said.
“It’s happened several times before. Last year I went south to Brinley to see if there was somewhere to build a new village, but the villagers I found said that they barely survive on what the king leaves after collecting a portion of their harvest for his own use. Every man is taken from his village at seventeen and forced into the army for at least three years.”
Fanchon remained silent.
“Everyone in the village is terrified of the dragons, but there’s nowhere else,” the man said softly.
“I know,” Fanchon replied.
“Is it true you live longer than we do?” the man asked.
“I am two hundred seventy two years old,” Fanchon said nodding. “We arrived a hundred years ago. I visited your village shortly after we arrived.”
T
here was a tap at the door.
“Come,” Fanchon said.
“Here are some dry clothes, Father,” Kennard said. “What about the rest of the villagers? Will they be safe where they are?”
“We should build homes and shops outside the castle wall for the villagers,” Fanchon said as he shook his head.
“What would you expect in return?” the man asked.
“Only for your men to help build the buildings and care for your own fields,” Fanchon said. “It makes no sense for us to not help you when we have been so fortunate.”
Chapter Twenty Three: A New Generation of Dragons
Kennard put his arm around Magda while they watched their sons stand near the eggs in the sand. Eamon’s wife had already bonded with the new queen named Evelina. Aylward’s mate Etana had died yesterday and Aylward wouldn’t survive much longer. Suddenly a crack appeared in one of the eggs and a claw soon showed. Eamon rushed forward to touch the claw. The egg burst open and the dragon was the same color as the bronze dragon clasp that had passed from Kennard’s father Fanchon to him and then to Eamon as a symbol of their duties as Lord Dracona. A second egg began to hatch and Rolfe joined his brother among the eggs that were all beginning to show signs of hatching.
“I’m worried about Rolfe,” Magda said. “He still hasn’t picked a wife.”
“He’s only a hundred and six,” Kennard replied as Rolf’s dragon hatched. “Maybe it’s time for us to let Eamon lead Dracona.”
Deal with it tomorrow,” Magda said as their sons approached with their dragons.”
“Isn’t Haskell beautiful?” Eamon said.
“Mackin is too,” Rolfe said.
“All dragons are beautiful,” Magda said with a smile. “Get them fed while you wash and oil them.”
The following morning Fanchon found Miranda and Eamon in the cavern with the dragons.
“I need to talk to the both of you,” Kennard said and they glanced at each other. “In my office.”
Eamon then looked at Haskell with an annoyed look on his face.
“What’s the matter?”
“Haskell says he knows exactly what you want to talk to us about but won’t tell me,” Eamon responded. “He’s laughing at me.”
Kennard began laughing a bit and said, “It’s good you have a dragon with a sense of humor. You are too serious sometimes.”
They followed him out of the cavern to the sitting room on the other end of the great hall. Magda was waiting for them there. They went into the office and shut the door.