The Peacekeeper Read online

  The dragons, albeit a danger to people, because of the proximity of the cliffs, also protected the kingdom from intruders. No one ventured too near their caves.

  Even though dragons would delight in a human meal, they hunted the fields and ate the animals that fed on the crops, mostly worogilds, six-legged animals with a soft thick coat. People not only used their meat, but their hides as well.

  Their co-existence with the dragons was beneficial for both sides. Since the dragons refrained from attacking humans despite their desire for human flesh, the kingdom appeased them by offering up those who were convicted of horrible crimes.

  The offering was something of a blood sport for those who enjoyed such things. Spectators would gather and wait for the bell that called the dragons to be rung. It was something that she, as a healer, could not understand. Archers stood ready just in case the dragons descended upon the crowd. It was the closest to the dragons most would ever dare to venture.

  She was afraid, but she would take her chances, after all she was dead if King Rulm found her, and she feared what he would do to her before he killed her. She thought about his wife the queen. Did she know? She was tall, beautiful, striking, strict, but she never seemed evil, nor did she mistreat her people. She must not know what her husband did behind her back.

  Before she knew it, she reached the familiar cliffs. Where was the hunting party? No time to think about that now, she had to climb. With shaky hands, she ripped her emerald skirts to her knees, tied the strips around her waist, and began her ascent. She found the places she used to know as the best footholds and skittered upward.

  When she hit the halfway mark, she paused to think about where to go next. She intensified her climb when she noticed the sky and the coming dusk. She had almost made it when the sky turned red. The dragons would soon be leaving their caves to hunt. She looked for a way to hide from the dragons and spotted a shrub growing out of the side of the cliff. There beside it a ledge. She would wait there.

  Climbing onto the ledge behind the bush, she leaned back and sighed. She caught her breath and closed her eyes for a second. When she opened them, she looked down to the valley below. It was so small, the river a winding ribbon, falls roared in her ears, and she looked down at her hands wrapped around her knees.

  Her fingernails were broken and bloody, her knees raw and bleeding, her shoes were tattered, a toe peaked out muddy and caked in blood, but she didn’t feel it. Her fear had her in a hypersensitivity mode beyond anything she could feel physically.

  Before she could think too much about what state she was in, she heard the first roar of the dragons. Almost like a call to all. Then the flurry of wings and the giant, colorful animals flew from the caves. She watched one in particular weave its way from behind the falls. Smart, she thought, very good hiding.

  That was where she’d go. She watched in amazement and awe as they rose up in the air in a flurry of giant wings and colorful bodies and disappeared toward the fields. She realized she had a healthy love for the large beasts.

  She stood, and with the last bit of light, made the last of the climb. With her body close to the wall, she sidestepped behind the waterfall being careful to feel for the opening. When she came to it she crawled inside and dropped. Just inside to the right was a small fall that came through the roof and landed in a pool that eventually flowed along the crack, back outside, where it joined the mother waterfall.

  A place to bathe, she thought, as her eyes dropped shut, and she lay against the wall. She fought sleep, as she had to leave before the dragons got back, but for the first time since escaping the king, she felt safe and exhausted. She couldn’t keep her eyes open.

  A dragon roared somewhere outside, and she woke with a start. Memories hit her like a rock, she knew the dragons were on their way back. She jumped up, and her breaths became fast and short. She hugged the wall in fear and it dawned on her. She was dead now, after all she did to get here, she was sure as dead. With wild eyes, she looked from left to right. What to do now?

  She heard a louder dragon scream followed by a lower pitched one. Together the screams came fast and furious. They were fighting! Fighting! She moved to the edge of the opening and through a slit in the water she could see two dragons fighting in the moonlight. Then as soon as the fight started, it stopped.

  She moved back and leaned on the wall once again. Moments later she heard scraping, and she looked to the opening, her fear replaced with awe. A head the size of a huge boulder looked through the opening. Florescent green and shimmery yellow scales adorned the majestic head.

  Bright greenish-yellow almond shaped eyes turned toward her and narrowed. Short ribbed spikes adorned either side of her head, in rows moved back to the neck, and reminded her of a woman’s hair braided tight to her head in two rows. The dragon opened its mouth to blow fire at her, to incinerate her. She screamed, “No!” internally as she’d lost her tongue.

  The dragon came closer to her and reared back. The thing was as big as a two-story dwelling. She shook and put her hands over her eyes waiting for the flames. Then she felt the floor rumble, and an oomph came from the dragon. She slid her fingers apart and peaked through. The dragon lay on her side, blood flowing profusely from a wound in its stomach. “Oh, my,” she exclaimed, and without thinking ran toward the dragon.

  “Stop,” said the dragon. Did she really hear that? She took another step and again heard “stop.” This time she knew it came from the dragon. She stared at the injured dragon, and her desire to heal increased. “Wait,” thought the dragon. “You understand me?”

  “Sort of, I think. You thought something very strongly or I imagined it.”

  The dragon closed her eyes, then opened them again. “Impossible,” she thought. “Do you carry the dragon mark?”

  “Mark? What mark?”

  “No one has communicated with a dragon in over a thousand years, except wizards. Are you a wizard?”

  Wizard? She shook her head, maybe she was imagining things. She shook her head to clear it. “I’m a healer.”

  “Maybe why.” The dragon sighed. “I’m dying, good is your spirit, your color I can see. Take care of them.”

  “Take care of who? The other dragons? Who did this to you?”

  “Father theirs, comes at time they hatch, eats male offspring. Not all dragon father’s do, and not all kingdoms are like that, but he doesn’t allow males to live, only females. He’s killed all males who have tried to move inside our kingdom. He’s killed all male children who survive. He’s the only undefeated male amongst us living.” The female dragon sighed in pain. “Gone is my time. Take care of them.”

  “Who?” asked Elspeth again. She walked to the dragon. It opened its eyes and looked toward the back of the cave. It opened its mouth, and she jumped back. The dragon took a deep breath and blew fire. Her gaze went to the back of the cave, and there on a large nest encrusted with more gems than she had ever seen, sat what appeared to be two dragon eggs, almost as large as the dragon’s head. “N…Nnnnooo. I don’t know anything about dragons.”

  The moonlight came through the hole in the ceiling and draped over the dragon’s belly and brought her mind back to healing. This time before the dragon could open its eyes, and lift its head, she ran and placed her hands just above the wound. She leaned her head back and began to chant in the ancient language.

  Immediately light encircled her, illuminating the cave. The dragon opened one eye but was too weak to do anything else. She looked at Elspeth in fear. The light flowed from her hands and encircled the wound. The bleeding slowed and the wound closed. Just when she thought she wouldn’t have enough energy to heal such a large creature, she heard the dragon’s thoughts. “My children.”

  She intensified her chanting. The light and warmth increased. Elspeth glanced at the dragon as it moved its head and opened both her eyes. Amazement and something else, something endearing came from the wondering look, and then Elspeth heard her. “Saphira,” thought the dragon. “Name mine,
Saphira.”

  Elspeth caught the name and whispered “Saphira.” Then she collapsed on the floor and her light went out.

  Chapter 3

  Elspeth woke to warmth and a crackling fire. Something digging in her cheek made her open her eyes and her hand moved to push it aside. Focusing on her surroundings she realized she was laying in the nest of gems holding the dragon eggs.

  Everything came back like a bad dream and she lurched. Fear grabbed hold and she scrambled toward the edge of the oversized nest. Looking around she saw no huge dragon about and thought her luck had come back. Maybe she’d live after all, maybe she could leave now.

  As she slowly stood up, aches in her muscles, cuts and bruises, gave way to excruciating pain and weakness, a moan tumbled forth, and she thought she’d be sick. She sat back down. Weariness washed over her, but it did not diminish the awe she felt. Looking around she saw the glitter of the woven nest of emeralds, rubies, sapphires, gold, silver and so much more.

  “Why there’s more treasure here than many kingdoms all put together.” She glanced at the small fire under the hole in the roof and watched as lazy smoke filtered up and out. “Do dragons need fire to stay warm? How ironic.” She giggled. She heard the flap of large wings and looked toward the opening. With the folding of her wings, the dragon she had healed, descended upon the opening, blocking all light in the cave’s doorway. And of all things, large branches full of berries were clutched in her long claws. Very long claws.

  “Hungry thought you may be,” said the dragon. Her thought was tinged with amusement.”

  She sat dumbfounded. “Hu…hun…hungry? Uh…ok, hungry.”

  Saphira laughed, as much as a dragon could laugh. “My life you saved, my babies a chance they have, I protect you always.”

  “No need surely. Healing is what I do.” She lifted her chin, with pride, grinned at the large dragon, and suddenly felt a kinship with the huge beast. Her fear somewhat alleviated she stood and walked toward the colorful dragon.

  Saphira bent her head down so they were eye level. The dragon half closed her eyes and rubbed her face against Elspeth’s shoulder in affection. She laughed and stroked the side of Saphira’s face. Then Saphira stretched her neck, flung her head back, and blew fire directly at where she stood. Not a yellow flame this time, but one of blue.

  She stumbled back in horror sure death was imminent. But she stood unharmed. Confused she looked down. Just above her heart there was a hole in her blouse and a perfect replica of Saphira burned into her chest. It didn’t hurt.

  Saphira laughed again. “Now you carry the dragon mark. I know you had a hard time putting in order what I was trying to say to you. It was hard for you to understand me fully, but now that you carry the mark you will understand me completely. You will be able to communicate with dragons. All dragons. I think because you are a healer you could pick up my thoughts. Though I know not how or why you did. No human has had the mark in over a thousand years.” She bent to move the jewels around in her nest. She stood and looked toward her eggs, made a cooing sound, and with her nose nudged the eggs closer together. Standing full height, she once again turned to Elspeth.

  “You have to save a dragon’s life to carry the mark. Not an easy thing to do, since normally we do not get along with humans. We sometimes eat them, but only to keep them afraid of us. If we didn’t they’d hunt us. We only eat the unfavorable humans. We do not prey on the innocent.”

  Elspeth looked at the dragon in awe, yet somehow unafraid. She watched as the light and shadows played off her colorful scales, saw the sharp intelligence, and changing emotions in her eyes, and wondered how anyone could ever kill such a majestic creature.

  “But now, no dragon shall ever hurt you,” Saphira continued. “All dragons will help you. You and I are forever connected, mind to mind. My children will also share that gift with you. You need only think of me to come to you or call I’ll be there. I belong to you, and you me,” she explained. Leaning down, she nudged her shoulder with her nose, then looked straight into her eyes.

  “If you need a lot of dragons call upon the force of us. Your mark will glow and be a beacon for them. They too will aid you, if you need them. We will hear your call from great distances. Now eat.” Saphira nudged the berry branches closer to Elspeth’s feet.

  “Saphira? I do not understand. Why would I be honored enough to receive such a mark? I’m nothing more than a plain peasant girl, from the monastery no less. I have no other gifts other than my healing. I’m really very simple. I’m not a soldier of great strength, nor do I hold a world of people in my hands. I’m just a woman and a weak one at that. There is no greatness to me that seems worthy of such a thing. For such a great thing, why me?”

  Saphira laughed. “Strength comes in many shapes and sizes, Elspeth. It took courage for you to climb the cliffs into the den of the most feared of creatures. When I lay on the floor dying, you could have saved yourself, but instead knowing none of this, or what I would do to you, you stayed and healed me without a thought to your safety. Such a brave thing. You have an inner strength that is great, a heart of purity, which is rare, and a kindness and knowledge of the life around you.

  “You as a healer, respect all living things. That in itself is a rarity. No, Elspeth you know not the amazing qualities you have. Even though I have no true answer as to how this all came to be, I know there is a reason. In all of life there are reasons, and you shall find out soon enough. We both will. Now you must eat to build your strength for whatever it is that is coming.”

  She glanced down at the dried blood on her hands, and the dirt on her dress. She wasn’t hungry, but she did wish she could have a bath. Forgetting the dragon could read her mind Saphira answered. “Eat first, I will then take you to the river to bathe.” Waddling to the corner of the cave Saphira picked up something and came back and dropped it at Elspeth’s feet. A hunk of old meat, smelly old meat. She grimaced. “Uh, the berries will be enough, thanks.”

  “Oh,” Saphira said. “I forgot you cook meat. Why you burn good meat I don’t know, but here…” Saphira reared back and blew fire, scorching the dead piece of meat, so it looked like black leather.

  She laughed. “Really Saphira berries are all I’d like to break my fast.” She smiled at the dragon. She sat and ate her fill of the best tasting berries she’d ever eaten. “Where did these come from? I’ve never had anything so wonderful.”

  “They grow on the top of Mystic Mountain where no man can go. It’s the only place they grow. We feed small quantities to our young. They have healing properties and encourage strong growth.”

  Elspeth frowned, even though she did feel much better, invigorated. “But that mountain is cursed. No man can go near without fear of dying. Men and women alike, are turned to stone statues.”

  “For humans yes, but the mountain is not cursed, it is blessed. Especially for dragons. Eat now, and we will see to your bath. I will leave you to bathe. I must keep close watch on my eggs. They are soon to hatch. When you are finished call me, and I will return to get you.”

  “Oh then, you shouldn’t take me, I wouldn’t want you to miss that. It’s okay really.”

  “Nonsense, it takes time for them to crack through. It takes only seconds to get you there and back. That way you can take time to enjoy your bath. I insist. I can never repay you for what you’ve done for me. Let me enjoy being, how do you say it? Friend, family? Let me be your family.”

  She couldn’t explain the love that enveloped them both, but she knew her life would never be the same from that moment on.

  Chapter 4

  Ian McGregor looked up from the river where he’d washed the dust from his face, to listen to the most beautiful singing voice he’d ever heard. He walked along the edge and through the bushes toward the floating melody. When he separated the branches, he gazed upon a creamy white back, and the longest, most brilliant red hair he’d ever seen. Over the woman’s shoulders and down her back were curls of bright, fire red hair that so
ftly cascaded to her hips.

  He stood and stared, his mouth agape. She lifted her hair from her back and tied it in a knot on the top of her head, dipped to her neck, swam around, stood again, and began to wade toward the edge. Och Goddesses, please turn around. He silently prayed. Her shoulders glistening with droplets of water, her arms above her, her narrow waist, and then her round buttock came dripping from the depths.

  His mouth went dry, and he licked his lips, then she turned. Her emerald eyes glanced in his direction. Full creamy breasts invaded his senses, he became as hard as a rock, and he jerked in anticipation. My God, was he but a randy lad and a voyeur? He disgusted himself. Letting the branch snap back he turned to leave, but he stepped on a twig and it snapped.

  “Who’s there?” came a nervous but lilting voice.

  He quickly turned back and looked again through the branches. He stood still, holding his breath. He couldn’t leave and he didn’t want to stay. He was afraid to move for fear she would see him, and he didn’t want her to find him like this.

  The woman immediately put her arms about her breasts, and she dove back in the water. She looked about frantically. “Who’s there, I asked?”

  He stood silent and still not wanting to give himself away. Then he heard horses and men shouting. “We’ve found her!” Three soldiers jumped from their horses, armor gleaming in the bright sun. More soldiers came from the thick forest around the trees. Seven men in all surrounded her. She stood shaking in the water. Her emerald eyes darted back and forth looking for a way out.

  “Och shite,” he said as he looked at the men. Good thing his sword was still at his side, and he hadn’t climbed in the river yet himself. He knew what he was going to do before he did it. Bullocks, he thought. Scrambled thoughts of his mission sailed through his mind. He was here on order from Merlin. Voices brought him back to the present.