"The Dragon Isles Chapter 05 Heselrasiatau" by Katherine Bates

Shenan’da

 

“Orion?”

“Yes?” The dragon looked up from his desk, turning round to see Tehal standing in the doorway, wearing one of the dresses he had given her, a white and black one. Smiling slightly, he beckoned her in. “What is it, child?”

“Did you mean what you said yesterday?”

“I take it you didn’t tell him.”

She shook her head and bit her lip nervously, “I couldn’t, I know you said to tell him, but… but… I don’t believe you, I won’t tell him a lie.”

Orion sighed and put down the black feather quill.

“Come here, child.” Tehal edged closed and sat down on the offered chair, feeling more and more nervous as time went by. Orion smiled as best he could and leant forwards slightly. “I don’t lie, I may bend the truth or leave parts out, but I do not tell actually lies. I meant what I said. I’m going to leave it here on the desk, I’ll know if you’ve taken it and I’ll always be able to find you if you’re wearing it. Understand? Good.”

Carefully he placed a miniature white dragon on the open book of parchment. Standing, he put a hand on her shoulder and smiled down on her, “You’re staying, aren’t you?”

“Is it so easy to tell?”

“For me, yes. Can I ask why?”

“No.”

“Ah well. I’m going to be gone for a little while, I have matters to attend to in the north; but I’ll be back as quickly as I can if I sense you’ve taken it. Try to do the right thing. If you want to talk to someone, try going down the valley on the south side of the river.” He added and then walked away.

Tehal hurried to the window and watched him leave, hoping to see him as a dragon, but he just kept walking, fading into the woods; though she could have sworn that he looked back at her. She turned to the desk, hand stretching out towards the dragon; her fingers almost touched, but she drew back at the last moment, shivering.

 

#

 

Dilwyn nibbled at the grass, only half-heartedly eating; every few moments his thoughts would flick back to the confused thoughts he’d picked up from Tehal the night before, and now he couldn’t sense her anywhere. Marn, sitting a few feet away and polishing his sword, was trying his best to seem disinterested in her disappearance, but failing miserably.

Dilwyn shook his mane out as a slight chill crept up his spine and he looked up. For a moment he thought something passed across the sun, but when he looked again there was nothing there.

“At least you’re not moping.” The stallion commented, trying to get rid of the silence that had fallen between them.

“Why would I be moping?” Marn actually seemed genuinely surprised by the question.

“Tehal, she’s left.”

“She hasn’t, she’s down by the lake. I’m giving her some space, she’ll be back when she’s ready.”

“I’ll go see her.”

“Leave her, she needs time to think.”

Dilwyn shrugged and went back to grazing, confused as to why Marn could find her but he couldn’t. Marn settled back down and looked at his reflection in the steel blade. He sighed and took his hunting dagger from his belt; he’d forgotten to cut his hair.

“Tell me if I’m going to cut it too short.” He told the white stallion; Dilwyn snorted back at him,

“Your hair is never to short, it’s always too long. You should try cutting it shorter than usual.”

“I like it this length. Just tell me, okay?”

Dilwyn didn’t think much of the end result: it was ragged and scraggly and no part of it was the same length as any other, if anything it looked worse now than before. Marn frowned at his reflection, “It didn’t go well, did it?”

Dilwyn shook his head and smiled through their connection, turning back to the grass. “Why don’t you get Tehal to cut it for you?”

“I don’t want to ask her. I’m going to find my other weapons,” he announced, standing up and stretching, “I want them back.”

“Why don’t you look at what Orion left in your room? There’s quite a collection, I believe.”

“He’s a strange man, that one.”

“He’s not a man.”

Marn shrugged and walked away, glad to have his bag back with Eool Zich ric eool Lusca, The Way of the Green, it seemed relevant now for him.

Emerging at length from the low house he decided to find a place higher up and away from the rest of the valley. Climbing up one of the slightly steeper slopes he found a ledge overlooking the whole of the gardens of Shenan’da. From up here he could see that the gardens had been set out carefully and with design. There was an overall pattern but Marn couldn’t quite work it out. He smiled slightly; it was nice, transmitting a sense of mysticism.

He turned to the first piece he had brought up with him, a simple broadsword, he had thought it might be better than his current; it was strong and well made, a large pommel set with a green stone, looking at it more carefully he noticed that gold wire had been inlaid in the shape of a dragon. He put the sword to the side, frowning, he wanted nothing to do with dragons.

Looking up he saw Tehal emerge from the wood. He turned his head to the side and then rested his chin in his hand, sighing. She greeted Dilwyn without noticing him and the horse nuzzled into her hair. Marn envied the easy relationship they had between the two of them; Dilwyn seemed to know how to talk to the girl and Tehal trusted the horse. He sighed again. How could he make her see that he did care for her? It seemed an impossible task, the way she had reacted the night before told him that consciously she wasn’t ready to accept anyone’s affection; but she did trust him and didn’t exactly hate him.

Looking down at his feet he saw a large, circular shield with a dragon emblem raised on the surface. He frowned thoughtfully; he didn’t remember picking out a shield for himself. Picking it up he looked at his reflection; strange, it seemed to him as though his reflection had been manipulated to fit the dragon’s shape, his eyes matched perfectly. He shook his head, silly, just the way he was sitting; but try as he might, his reflection refused to budge; his own eyes staring disconcertingly back at him from the dragon’s sockets, almost challenging him.

“Marn?”

He looked up sharply; ready to grab his own sword, but it was only Tehal, leaning over the lip of the ledge to see him. She smiled awkwardly, trying to dismiss the past but not able to forget it. Marn didn’t smile back; he was still worried by the shield and felt his eyes being drawn back to it again and again.

“Yes?” He was aware that his voice was cold and harsh, but he couldn’t help it.

“Could you teach me to use the sword? You gave me the rapier, but I don’t how to use it properly.”

“Teach you?”

“Yes. Is it so difficult to believe? I want to be able to defend myself.”

A glimmer of a smile touched the corner of his lips. “The sword isn’t really the best thing for defence, unless you’re facing another sword wielder. I’ll teach you what I know about combat, if you want that is?

“Yes, please.” She smiled easily and naturally now, looking at him without the awkwardness of before. “Dilwyn said that he would teach me the talent, magic; but he suggested that you would be better though, he said you had a rare talent.”

Marn scowled sharply, looking away from her, “He’s not meant to tell anyone about that.”

“What is it?”

Her face was so open and honest, and Marn wanted her to trust him, he couldn’t lie to her. “Healing. I can heal.”

“With herbs? Like the sorcerers in villages?”

“No, with pure magic.”

“Why didn’t…” she trailed off and looked away, as if she had had second thoughts on question. Marn let it go, he was uncomftable offering information about himself so openly, he was leaping on any chance to draw attention away from him.

“What do you want to know about magic?”

“Just general things. What is a root?”

“I’ll tell you later, it’s a magical term. If you want to learn defence there’s no time like the present. Here, catch.” He tossed her a thick shirt of overlapping metal plates. She looked at it carefully,

“What’s this for?”

“So you don’t get hurt. But first I think we should have some fun.”

She turned to him carefully, eyes narrowing in suspicion, “How?”

Marn grinned openly. “Children’s games. I think chase will do quite well. And to give you an advantage I’ll wear full armour, you only have to wear that shirt. Help me on with this then.”

The armour was a good fit despite not being made for him; and, Marn reflected, was well chosen, giving adequate protection without restricting movement or being excessively heavy. Tehal laughed behind her hand as she stepped back, Marn crossed his arms,

“I’ll still beat you.”

“In that? You’ll be lucky to go any further a hundred yards.”

“Want a bet?” He lunged for her half-heartedly and she leapt away down the slope, slowed by the weight of the metal shirt. Marn raced after, surprised at the flexibility of the armour.

They plunged into the long grass of the meadow, Tehal glancing back every so often, grinning madly. Marn made a grab for her and she dodged, it was only the weight of the shirt that let her escape. She laughed, tossed her hair and ran. Marn sighed, it hadn’t felt heavy before but it was beginning to get to him, and mustered the strength to chase after.

He leapt, grabbing her round the neck and letting his weight drag them both down. They fell heavy in the grass, laughing. Tehal tried to push him off; failing, she let him pin her to the ground.

“Let me up, Marn.”

He laughed, “You lost, you’re my prisoner.”

“Get off of me.” She snarled back in mock anger, grinning with her face pressed into the soft earth and attempted in vain to free herself.

“Alright, alright, I’ll let you up, good thing you didn’t make a bet.” He crouched, rolling her over. Their eyes met and Marn smiled as she gazed nervously back, mouth open as she tried to get her breath back. For a moment there was something there, and then Tehal sat up, taking the knots out of her hair and putting on a mock expression of anger.

“That wasn’t fair; you’ve got longer legs than me.”

Marn grinned and gestured to himself, “I can’t help that, besides, I’m wearing full armour, I haven’t done that for at least… oh… six years.”

She shoved him playfully and stood up, “Why are we playing kids’ games anyway?”

He leant back in the long grass, stretching his legs out, and grinned. “Any animal that fights or hunts learns through play. You ever seen wolves? Dogs? Dog pups play fight with each other in their own litter without injuring each other, it also teaches them how other dogs behave and how a dog’s mind works. Humans try to learn consciously, it just doesn’t work, well anyway, not as well. Give us a hand, will you? This armour’s heavy.”

Tehal lent a hand and soon they were setting off to the lower gardens and the lake. “You know, you do look silly in that armour.”

“You look silly in that shirt,” he retorted, “but you don’t hear me being insulting.”

“I was just saying. Actually you look like any other man in armour; it was just that in the books Orion showed me, the armour actually suited them.”

“That’s because it would have been made for them, this is meant for someone else, disturbingly, it fits.”

Tehal let the topic drop and followed him silently, her eye caught by a hundred and one things in the sparsely vegetated wood. A flash of blue whipped past the corner of her eyes and she span, trying to locate it. Marn watched her features, hand ready to draw his weapon.

“What is it?”

Tehal gave no indication that she’d even heard, but eventually she shook her head and turned back, “I thought I saw something, but I suppose it was just a trick of the light.”

Marn frowned but let the matter go and continued walking.

The lake sparkled in the sunlight and Tehal watched the dancing light, hypnotised by it all. “It was better at night.” She remarked and then turned to him, “What are we going to do here?”

“Can you swim?” She nodded and waited for him to continue. “Have you anything heavy and small?”

Tehal fished about in the unfamiliar pockets, sorting through things she hadn’t known were there, and eventually withdrew a small metal tag for securing the ends of her hair. Marn took it and then flung it as far as he could into the lake. She watched it go, mouth open.

“That was mine!”

“Fetch it then.”

Tehal folded her arms across her chest, scowling like a sulking child. “You fetch it; you threw it there, so you can fetch it.”

Marn sighed, “Who is meant to be the teacher?”

Shrugging the heavy shirt off, Tehal stepped into the water and slipped under the surface.

 

#

 

They walked back to the low house in silence, the golden light of late afternoon filtering down through the trees. Tehal paused for a moment and looked up into the canopy. “You said, when we first met, something about changing form.”

Marn looked around and tipped his head to the side. “You want to try? Honestly?” She nodded, smiling broadly. “Well, alright. Just follow me, it might be a bit difficult to start with, just try to relax and focus.”

He seemed to melt before her eyes, turning into a big cat that she didn’t recognise; it was a grey white colour with darker spots, only the eyes had stayed the same, they were still bright, emerald green. Tehal frowned slightly and tried to follow him, but she was stuck, she didn’t know this animal, she couldn’t be it. Panther, that was a cat she knew, a man had once brought one to the temple. Closing her eyes she let the image appear behind her lids; a beautiful, sleek, black panther.

She opened her eyes, confused to as to why she was near the ground. She lifted a paw and smiled a panther smile. “I did it.”

Marn laughed heartily. “I’ve never heard a panther speak with a human tongue.”

“And what are you meant to be?”

“Snow leopard; they live in the mountains. Come on, follow me.” He leapt up into the trees. Tehal watched him as he moved the leopard’s body with ease and grace and tried to follow; the branch slipped from under her paws she fell back to the ground. Shaking her head out she tried again, grasping onto the bark with all her strength. Marn, balancing easily higher up, smiled to himself and told her to hurry up. Tehal scowled sharply at him and tried to follow, finding the branches difficult to cling to. She tried using the claws and found it worked nicely; she hurried after him.

They dashed through the branches, leaves slapping against them, leaping away from branches that threatened to break and setting the bird up into the air. At length they came to rest, Tehal jumping down neatly from the trees and settling down in the grass.

“Can I talk to you Marn?”

He moved the snow leopards body with elegance and grace, easing out the trees and lying beside her. He nodded slightly and let her continue.

“It’s about last night. I need to explain why I said… why I said that it wasn’t caring.”

Marn put his head on his paws and half closed his green eyes, trying to watch her without being caught doing so.

“I used to work with horses all the time at the Shana’dun temple, it was what I did. When pilgrims came, especially noble born ones, they would bring someone to look after their horses. Once, I suppose I was about sixteen then, there was a man a couple of years older than me looking after his master’s horses. We saw a lot of each other, exchanged polite words, exercised the horses and so forth.

“Then one day he comes up behind me and… and grabs me round the neck. He pushed me into an empty stall and pinned me against the wall. He… he kissed me and said he loved me; when I tried to push him away he twisted my arm round and said that I should be grateful for what I got. I kicked him hard and then hit him for good measure and ran to my cousin, Lee. Lee said nothing but he saw that… that man walk out of the stables with his bruise forming round his eye.”

Marn said nothing for a long time and then nodded, shutting his eyes. “I understand. I’m sorry if I brought back bad memories.”

“You weren’t to know. Marn?”

“Yes?”

“I want to go down the valley. Orion said that there were people to talk to there. I need to talk to someone other than you, no offence meant.”

Marn smiled, “I know, I need to talk to someone as well. We’ll go together.”

Tehal smiled and shut the black eyes of the black panther. “I’d like that.” She whispered softly and settled down to sleep.

 

#

 

Dilwyn tossed his head in excitement.

“Come on, Tehal. Come on, Marn. I want to go, I want to go.”

Marn laughed and strapped yet another weapon to his person. “Just hang on a little while; I want to make sure I’ve got everything.”

Tehal ran to Dilwyn, stretching up her arms to mount and then paused, rushing off back to the low house. “I’ll just be a minute!” She shouted back. Marn shrugged and started packing up his bag, stuffing in blankets and food and weapons that should have never of fitted into modest leather bag.

Marn heaved himself up, and patted Dilwyn’s neck. Dilwyn snorted, “Have you told her yet?”

“No, and for a while yet I won’t.”

“Why not?”

“It’s nothing to do with you!”

“What’s nothing to do with me?” Marn looked round, startled at Tehal’s sudden reappearance. She smiled and let him lift her up onto Dilwyn’s back.

“I didn’t realise you were there, I was talking to Dilwyn.”

“I see.” And she left it at that.

The valley of Shenan’da seemed to suit Dilwyn. He travelled at a gentle, relaxed but strong trot for most of the day; slowing only when they saw a figure at the edge of their vision. Marn drew a long hunting knife and passed a short dagger to Tehal.

At first glance it seemed to be a man but on a second inspection they were far too tall and their legs were all wrong. Dilwyn slowed his walk right down ad lowered his head, tensing his muscles to run.

The sound of hooves on stone came across to them and Dilwyn stiffened, shaking his head and neck. “I don’t like this, Marn. We should leave now.”

“No, stay a while longer, just a few more moments, just till we see who it is.”

Dilwyn stayed completely still and waited for the figure to approach them. It did so slowly and hesitantly. When they eventually saw what it was they started in shock.

“Do I remember him?” Dilwyn asked Marn suspiciously, lifting his head up to see better. Marn nodded and squeezed Tehal’s arm gently to tell her it was alright. They put their weapons back.

The centaur smiled and walked up to them.

“Heselrasía! It’s been a while since we saw you. Dilwyn I remember, but who’s this with you?”

Marn relaxed further, he recognised the centaur; a friend that they could trust.

The centaur was at least eight foot tall, with bright red hair; the coat of the horse was a red brown with a long red tail. There were weapons strapped all over him: hunting daggers round his waist; a bow and a quiver of arrows across his back; and a set of bags over the back of his horse’s back. Tehal watched the centaur closely; he didn’t seem at all like she had imagined a centaur to be, not anything like the stories had said; it seemed perfectly natural for him to be half horse, half man. His striking blue eyes caught Tehal’s and he smiled broadly as he listened to Marn’s answer.

“This is Tehal.”

He positively beamed at her. “Tail! You found what you were looking for then.” He turned to Tehal and smiled, dipping his head slightly. “My Lady, if you would permit I would be pleased to have the honour of escorting you back to our meadow.”

Tehal looked up at Marn, who nodded, and then slipped down from Dilwyn, accepting the hand the centaur offered. He turned to Marn, grinning,

“Heselrasíatau, I think that’s suitable, don’t you.”

Marn scowled sharply and looked away, telling Dilwyn to start off. The white horse snorted in contempt of the centaur and led the way, his head held high. The centaur was in no hurry to follow, but twisted round to look at Tehal as she sat awkwardly on his back. He smiled,

“Just relax, pretend I’m a horse if you want. Shealau.” He added and started walking, the long legs of the horse carrying them across the land in a powerful strides. Tehal tried to relax and found it difficult. Sighing, she looked around at the valley. It was mostly small plants, lots of long grass, small streams winding through the soft ground here and there.

“What does Shealau mean?”

“Red tail; we centaurs have our own language, more of a dialect really, very close to Heselra.”

“Heselra; I’ve heard that before, what is it?”

“Heselra is simply Dragon, it is the language of the dragons. Didn’t Orion tell you? I would have thought that he would given the language to you as a gift.”

“Why?”

“Well, with you being his rider, it’s only natural.”

“I’m not his rider.”

“Ah.”

They rode on silence and Tehal was beginning to regret coming here. Shealau seemed so haughty; she wasn’t comftable around the high-born, it made her nervous after years with simple pilgrims and monks. They breached a low rise and Tehal smiled.

Stretched out on the large flat meadow below was a large herd of centaur, talking between themselves, play fighting; being centaurs. Tehal smiled at Marn openly and he smiled back. This was the place.

Shealau looked at Marn and Dilwyn and frowned slightly, horses and men should only come together in centaurs, this whole thing with men riding horses was absurd.

“I’ll take you see King Venelk, if you’re his guests you’ll be granted passage throughout the whole kingdom.” Marn nodded and followed the centaur, smiling slightly as Tehal turned round and mouthed ‘help’ at him; she didn’t like Shealau either.

Venelk smiled politely and gestured that they should find themselves a place to sit in the clearing. A tree branch gave them a suitable place, making them level with most of the centaurs instead of finding themselves constantly underfoot. Lohelca bowed slightly to them as she waited for her mate to speak.

Venelk was a proud stallion, but not so proud that he wouldn’t converse with humans or show them courtesy. He liked these two as well; the man they knew, they had even named him Heselrasía; the girl he didn’t know, but Shealau had said that her common tongue name was Tehal and Venelk was pleased with this.

“You are very welcome here,” he announced; his voice was soft and warm, carrying the power that the King of the centaurs should posses. Several of those in the clearing echoed his words, for Venelk’s words were law. “We do have places for you to stay, but I fear that they may be a little dusty, it’s been a while since we had guests of your… of your kind.”

Marn nodded back and waited.

Lohelca glanced at her mate and then smiled her thanks as he granted her permission to speak. “If it pleases you, mare, I and the other mares of the court wish to speak with you; and, if my lord permits,” here she glanced at the king, who nodded, “we would also like to give you a name in our tongue, so that you will always know you are welcome here.”

Tehal dipped her head to the Queen of the centaurs and smiled politely, lowering her eyes. Venelk gestured that they should leave and motioned for Marn to join him and some of the young stallions. Marn felt intimidated by the centaurs, all of them were at least two feet taller than him, heavily built and aggressive by their young nature.

Tehal watched Marn leave with some concern, Lohelca caught her expression and lay a hand on her shoulder, “You shouldn’t worry, my lord is teaching the young stallions courtesy with guests, with the King there he will come to no harm.”

“I know,” she answered back softly, “it’s just that I haven’t been by myself for quite sometime.”

The Queen nodded understandingly and called a porter to their side, gesturing that Tehal should mount to hurry things along.

As they travelled the Queen pointed up into the canopy. “Your rooms are up there, you can see why we have trouble cleaning them.” Tehal looked up, but could only vaguely make out some darker blotches against the dark green; she swallowed, she wasn’t so keen on heights.

The small herd swept through the forest, coming onto a large open meadow, devoid of any centaurs.

“This is my own private meadow.” Lohelca said as a way of explanation. The porter waited for Tehal to dismount and left quickly, bowing to the Queen first. She sighed a little, “I wish they would stop doing that, it does get on my nerves sometimes, all that bowing and polite smiling. It no longer means anything to me, smiling, behind that outer appearance they could very well hate me. Ah well; come, I wish to know more about you.”

They sat in the long grass and talked for a long time, the Queen’s ladies in waiting seated around them, talking amongst themselves. At length, they came round to the subject of names.

“You know,” the Queen mused, “I really can’t give you a name, Shealau has already told the King that Heselrasíatau would be suitable, most of the courtiers know that name now, I suppose it will be shortened to Síatau. I’m not sure if I like it, it is very definitive of your identity, but it will have to stay that way.”

“Your Ladyship? What does Heselrasíatau mean?”

She waved her hand dismissively and looked away, “It doesn’t matter. If you go back to the forest the porter will be waiting, he will show which room is yours and take you back to the court if you wish.”

Standing, Tehal bowed to Lohelca and then hurried away, confused with the Queen; one minute she seemed nice enough, the next enough she seemed to become bored with Tehal’s company and ignored her. She shrugged to herself and asked the porter to take her back to the court.

It was empty when she got there and she sighed to herself, bored. Maybe, she’d take a look around the place.

“Síatau! Wait up! Síatau!”

She turned and saw a large male centaur cantering towards her, bright white sock markings on his legs. Slowing as he reached her, he bowed low and took her hand, kissing it.

“Síatau, my name is Traebex. Would you like me to show you the Upper Kingdom?”

Not really understanding what he meant by Upper Kingdom, she nodded and climbed up onto his back. Traebex was attractive in a centaur way, hair that resembled a mane in a brilliant chestnut brown; unlike most of the others he wore a tunic over his chest, carrying the crest of his family. The other young stallions seemed to avoid him, for, unlike them, Traebex didn’t carry the usual assortment of weapons; though those back from patrol, who were slightly more mature, respected him.

Traebex seemed to know, and be friends with, everyone in the ‘Upper Kingdom’; he was free and easy with his speech, and had a gentle nature coupled with a large capacity to laugh.

Time passed quickly and soon Traebex set off to where Tehal would be staying. Manoeuvring himself carefully, he made it so she could step off of him and onto the ladder that led to the room at the top of the tree. He smiled at her,

“I hope I wasn’t being a nuisance.”

“Not at all, you were very helpful.”

He grinned, “I’ll come see you again tomorrow, if you don’t mind that is, I’d like to show you more of the Kingdom.”

Tehal nodded and then started on the rungs of the ladder. Dragging herself over the edge she almost fell back off when she saw Marn lying on his back on the bed. He smiled,

“Informative day?”

She nodded and struggled to stand up. “Are we in the same room?”

“Seems so, there’s another bed over there; I rather gather that they assumed that we were ‘mates’.”

She blushed a deep red. “I don’t think Traebex thinks that.”

He lifted his eyebrows, “Traebex?”

Tehal shrugged and flopped down on the bed, “Young male, he gave me a tour of the place, and think I’ve met just about everybody now. What did Shealau mean when he said that Heselrasíatau was a suitable name?”

“They used to call me tail-less, Au, means tail.”

A silence fell between them and Tehal began to follow the intricate patterns on the wood of the roof.

“Tehal? When Mercinar stormed off on that first day, what was that about?”

She blanched for a moment and then sat up slowly, folding her hands neatly. “There was a horse, Golden, I found her dead that morning, Mercinar told me that nothing could have been done and no one left her. Then I saw into his mind, I saw him kick the lamp that started the fire, and I saw him leave Golden to her fate, in a way he helped the Temple Guards. I… I hated him, he betrayed me.”

“Umm…”

“What?”

“Nothing. I’m tired, I’m going to sleep.” He rolled over on the bed and dragged the quilt over his head. Tehal watched him for a while and then turned away from him, closing her eyes.

 

#

 

“Síatau!”

Tehal looked round and saw Traebex. She smiled warmly and let him toss her up onto his back. About to leave the glade Tehal turned and saw Marn watching from the shadow of a tree. She frowned, meaning to ignore him, but then changed her mind. Tapping Traebex on the shoulder to alert him she gestured for Marn to come over.

She lifted her eyebrows in question as he neared. He sighed and shifted his feet nervously, not meeting her gaze,

“I need to talk to you.”

“Look me in the eye, Marn.”

He did so but couldn’t hold her gaze for long. She was strong now, a radiance that he hadn’t seen before surrounded her and he knew that she had grown into herself, she could survive by herself. She lowered her own eyes,

“Now is not the time.” She whispered and asked Traebex to show her the forests. The centaur looked round at Marn and turned his nose up, crossing his arms.

 

#

 

Traebex gave her a lift to the tree houses, turning delicately so she could climb straight up to the room.

“You will think about what I said, won’t you?”

Tehal started climbing, a couple of rungs up she paused and turned to Traebex, now level with him. She tried to meet his gaze, but failed and looked away to the floor.

“Traebex… you have to understand this from my point of view. I’m human, this isn’t my home, I’ve only know you for three days.”

He moved closer to her, taking her hand in his, “You don’t have to have a human form, stay an we’ll know each other better; and this can be your home if we make it so. Tehal…”

She took her hand away from his. “Traebex… please, try to understand, I’m trying to tell you gently that…”

“Oh,” he looked away, embarrassed, “but…”

“Traebex, just leave it.” She turned away and started climbing the rope ladder. Traebex watched her disappear into the gloom and scowled to himself. Stupid! Stupid! She was stupid! Why couldn’t she have just agreed? Any centaur mare would have been flattered to have been asked by him, jump at the chance even; but she, she, a human, had rejected him.

He stamped his back hoof in impatience and decided to get her back. He’d find a centaur mare, a nice one, and show Tehal that she had made the wrong choice. He smiled to himself, yes, he’d make her jealous. Perfect.

Marn opened his eyes slowly, trying to work out why he’d woken. It certainly wasn’t morning yet and they’re didn’t seem to be anything dangerous about the atmosphere. Rolling over, he tried to focus on the other bed in the room, it looked as if Tehal had come back, but his eyes weren’t quite adjusted yet.

A figure stumbled clumsily across his view, tripping over their own feet. He frowned slightly, Tehal, and started to roll over; he was too tired for this.

Something crashed into the floor behind him and Tehal let out a sharp cry of pain. He sat up and grabbed his hunting knife.

“What is going on?”

A hand grabbed the edge of the bed and Tehal dragged herself up. She smiled apologetically,

“I lost something.”

He sighed and dropped back to the mattress, turning away from her. “What did you loose?” he asked, voice muffled by the pillow.

“Something Orion gave me. It’s important.”

“Well you won’t find it now. Look for it in the morning.”

“This is really important, Marn, I need to find it.”

He sighed again and swung his legs over the side of the bed, picking up his shirt. “What did you loose? I’ll help you find it.”

Tehal smiled at him gratefully, “It’s a figure of a white dragon, attached to a chain.”

“Like a necklace?”

She nodded and went back to searching the floor with her hands. Running his fingers through his ragged hair, he looked about the room. Sighing, he picked up the necklace from the dresser. A slit of moonlight caught the tiny pendant, revealing the microscopic detail; the minute fangs and claws poised to strike, the snarling head and lashing tail, wings arched out. He stared at it, fascinated. He cupped it in his hand, trying to understand what could be so important about this tiny figure.

A bolt of pain split his head and he staggered backwards, dropping the pendant as he crashed to the floor. Tehal was there in an instant, but she said nothing, for her eyes were caught by the pendant lying on the floor. She picked it up carefully and then looked round to Marn.

He sat there, cradling his hand to his chest, gaze transfixed by the tiny figure. Groaning softly, he tore his gaze away and looked down at his palm. A large blister had broken in the centre, spilling its fluid across his flesh. Tehal hissed at the sight sympathetically.

“Did you touch the pendant?” she asked gently. He nodded numbly and tried to stand up. His head span and he collapsed back down. A hand touched his shoulder but he couldn’t focus on it, the sharp pain stabbed through repeatedly: up his arm, traversing to his shoulder, up his neck, down his back, paralysing his muscles. He slumped forwards to the floor, knowing that his arm lay beneath him, feeling the pain flood through his body and knowing that he couldn’t stop it.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he was aware of Tehal talking and, after a moment, leaving. He heard his breathing clearly, the shallow, wheezing dry rustle as his legs struggled to gain the air they needed. His eyes closed without his consent and he lay there in the dark, listening to his breathing and feeling the stabs of pain course through his body.

Tehal ran through the forest, shouting out any name she could remember. “Nobeclee! Tai! Sybilay! Aaebow!”

A tree loomed before her and she dodged out of way. Momentarily disorientated she hastened to gather her bearings, recognising nothing in the dark forest with its towering trees.

“Tai! Tai! Where are you? Anyone? Help! Please help! Aaebow.”

A centaur appeared at the edge of her vision and she ran towards them. “Aaebow!”

He caught her by the arms, forcing her to stay still. He was one of the smallest centaurs, he’d even admitted that his name meant ‘titch’.

“Calm down, Heselrasíatau. Calm down, and explain, slowly.”

“It’s Marn, the pendant poisoned him, and I don’t know what to do and… and…”

Aaebow’s face hardened, “Come on, climb up, we have to find Venelk.”

“Can he help?” she asked breathlessly as she climbed up. Aaebow shook his head and kicked up the dust,

“But he’ll know what to do.”

Venelk was dozing along with Lohelca, he seemed irritated to be awoken bu tit quickly melted away when he heard the reason.

“You have the pendant? Good. His only chance is if you call Orion back, only he can remove the poison. But you’ll have accept his soul and be prepared to be his dragon rider. It’s a heavy price to pay.”

“I can pay it.”

 

#

 

Orion sat darkly in the corner, hunched over and brooding slightly. Tehal sat in the opposite corner, pretending to be engrossed in a book but matching Orion’s gaze over the book’s cover. In the next room Marn was sleeping off the poison from the necklace. Orion looked back and frowned at her attire; she was wearing all green apart from a white pendant that hung around her neck.

Tehal put the book down and glanced disdainfully at the strange letters that she knew she shouldn’t be able to read; it was the script of Heselra, the dragon language and she had taken a distinct dislike to it.

“Did he tell you?” Orion asked in his cold, even voice. Tehal scowled back and shook her head,

“I’m not going to make him tell me either, he’ll tell me when he’s ready. Besides, I haven’t told him yet.”

Orion growled softly, “You still don’t believe me?”

“No.” Her answer was blunt and aggressive.

“But you had to accept my soul with all your heart.”

“I did it for Marn, and Marn alone.” Her voice was filled with passion and anger. Orion watched as she moved restlessly from one spot to another; glancing out of the window, checking the other room yet again, neatening out the books. He was annoyed with her, she had chosen to accept his soul, but it wasn’t for the right reasons; and now she wouldn’t even pay attention to him properly.

He snarled and she stopped, turning to him. Nodding to himself, he looked her in the eye. “You still accepted, you can’t go back on that.”

“I know; I’ve already tried.”

Orion leapt up, pinning Tehal back up against the wall. She froze, mouth hanging open and eyes wide. She tried to meet the gaze of his solid white eyes and failed, turning her head away from him and closing her eyes.

“Do you even understand what it means to carry my soul?” He whispered quietly, she could hear the danger laced into it.

“Yes.” She whispered, trying to slide down the wall away from him.

“You don’t really. You said yourself that you only took my soul for Marn, you don’t even know who he is.”

“I don’t care.”

“Really?” He smirked slightly and walked away from her; she relaxed visibly and slumped into a chair. Orion sat back down in his own corner and watched her.

“You believe me yet?”

“No.” Her voice was barely whisper and no longer carried the power that it once had, it was an empty, hollow sound.

Orion stood up and walked over to the window. “Come with me to the Low House and I’ll show you.”

“How?”

“You’ll see.”

Tehal looked towards the closed door to the other room. “What if he wakes up?”

“He’ll be asleep for at least another four hours. Come on, you wanted proof and I’m offering it. What’s the problem?”

Tehal glanced to the doorway once more and then nodded, picking up the rapier from the table. Orion glanced at it but said nothing, walking out of the door with Tehal trailing after.

 

#

 

The great white dragon folded his leathery winds neatly and lay down carefully. From his nose to the tip of his tail he was around 100ft, though the tail was over half of this; the solid white eye as large as a an adults head; the two fangs as long and as thick as the leg of a man and the span of his claws at least 9ft.

Tehal ducked away as the dragon lowered it head to her, but before she’d gone any distance two long forelegs had encircled her. She froze and turned on point.

The head came down gently, the tips of the fangs digging into the soft earth. It breathed slow and soft but the eyes remained unblinking. Gradually, Tehal began to see it wished her no harm and she crept forwards like a mouse, stretching out a hand to touch its nose.

It snorted softly, like a horse, and sighed with rumbling thunder. Tehal smiled slightly and tipped her head to the side. She brushed her fingers against the white scales, fascinated by the rough and smooth contrast between them.

“Tehal.”

She looked up at the dragon and backed away.

“What?” She asked back.

“This is proof, isn’t it?”

“I suppose, but…”

“Would you like to fly?”

For a moment she hesitant, and then she ran forward, climbing up the plates that Orion indicated. With Tehal settled on his back, Orion leapt to the skies, beating his wings as hard as she could. The ground rushed away beneath them and the air greeted them in a cold rush. He roared as he levelled out above the currants in the air. Tehal grinned and clung tight.

“This is proof.”

He roared, long and loud and dived back down through the clouds, smiling to himself.

 

#

 

“How are you feeling?”

Marn opened his eyes slowly and smiled weakly when he saw Tehal sitting on the edge of the bed.

“What…?” his voice cracked and coughed violently. The fit subsiding, he pushed himself up and sat back against the wall, “What happened?”

Tehal smiled and tucked her feet up, “When you touched the poison it secreted a poison; Orion healed you.”

“Orion? But…”

She smiled again, but nervously and awkwardly now, diverting her eyes. “I asked him to heal you, I… I called him back.”

“How?”

“Just… just listen. Orion, he didn’t just tell me that he was a dragon, he…”

“Can I say something?”

She paused and tilted her head to the side, “Are you sure now is the time?”

“Yes.”

“Can I go first?” Marn hesitated and then nodded, relaxing back against the wall; she smiled back, openly and easily now. “Thank-you. Do you see this pendant around my neck? It isn’t just a pendant, it is Orion’s soul. All dragons have a soul pendant, a dragon’s soul is not granted passage tot eh afterlife without the company of a human’s; so in return for keeping a dragon’s soul sake, a human is granted longer life and a position as a dragon rider. Usually a dragon picks a human who is talented in magic, or one who is already trained in combat, because it’s a lot less riskier that way, the rider can defend themselves.

“Orion asked me to be his dragon rider, I don’t understand why; at first I didn’t believe him, but when you were poisoned I had to accept his soul to bring him back here, and now I can’t go back on it, I’m stuck”

“That’s not fair. He must understand that…”

“Wait a moment, it’s not quite like that. He showed me what it was to be a dragon rider, I like it, I don’t mind anymore. I can read and speak Heselra too, though I’m not sure I like that.”

“Then you already know.”

“Know what?”

He waved a hand dismissively, “It doesn’t matter. What are you trying to say?”

“I think I’m just trying to explain, to me as well as you. It’s all a bit new to me, but I think I’m alright with it now.”

“Want to talk?”

She shook her head, “Not at the moment. What did you want to tell me?”

Marn shifted slightly and plucked at imaginary puckers in the quilt. Slowly, he traced over the scar on his palm. Turning to the side table he picked up the fragment of a mirror, he handed it to her. She frowned, puzzled.

“Put a spell of true seeing on this.”

“Why don’t you just kill me?”

“Te, it’s better this way.”

She made no comment to his use of ‘Te’, no one had ever called her that, but she rather liked it. “Why don’t you? You’re better at this than I am.”

“It has to be you.”

Sighing, she did as he bid and handed the mirror back to him. He glanced at his reflection disdainfully and passed it back.

“Look at my reflection in the mirror.”

Brow creased, she tipped the mirror, “I don’t under…” she trailed off, staring at the image before her eyes. “It’s not possible, it’s a trick.”

“It’s true.”

“No. I must have made a mistake…”

“You didn’t, I can tell. What you see is the truth.”

“But…” her face hardened suddenly and she stood up, “You lied! You lied to me! You’re not human! You lied!”

“No. I didn’t.” He caught her wrist, holding it tightly, “I didn’t lie.”

She pushed at his grip, trying to tear free, twisting this way and that. “Let go of me! You’re hurting me. Let go!”

“I didn’t lie! I’m half! Half-dragon! Half! I’m still human.”

She froze in her struggle and slowly relaxed. “Half? But I don’t understand. How is that possible?”

“I don’t know.” He let her wrist go and picked the mirror up, staring at the reflection, “Orion could only tell because I have healing magic, dragon blood talent only, and even then it’s rare. My mother used to say that my father was a ‘wild one’; the rest of the Rivermark tribe, the Segul-syx, said that I was the bastard son of an outsider; now I understand what my mother meant, he was wild, a wild animal, a dragon.”

She sat back down on the bed, her face soft and sympathetic. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Like you, I didn’t believe Orion; the centaurs made me see reason.”

“Why… why didn’t you use your talent to heal yourself.”

He shrugged, still staring at his reflection, “Only thing bad about it, can’t heal myself, so I still prefer to use traditional methods”

He fell silent, watching the solemn green dragon. Sighing, he watched in fascination as the dragon mirrored him, its breath setting on the air. Tehal placed a hand on top of the mirror, lowering it, calling his attention to her. She smiled softly, leaning towards him; he smiled back hesitantly, and flashed his eyes.