Dragon Clan #6: Anna's Story

CHAPTER TWENTY

Carrion laughed at the idea of a voyage to Breslau being an ocean cruise. He said, “The last time Tanner and I were there, a dragon grabbed us in its talons and flew us to safety.”

Anna said, “I thought that was fiction. Can the two of you tell that story to us tonight?”

Thief had woke and said, “Yes.”

“Only if someone goes hunting and finds more food,” Carrion said.

Raymer said, “My dragon’s wounds are healing, and I don’t want him getting stiff. He can find a couple of deer and bring one to your dragon, as well as enough for us.”

Carrion said, “Good idea. I want to inspect those rips on my dragon’s wings before it flies again, and maybe give it a few more days to heal.”

“They’re that serious?” Anna asked.

“I don’t know,” Carrion said. “But torn wings are serious and need to heal. But you need to move on to Racine as fast as possible. My red and I can hide out nearby here for a few days, if necessary.”

It was the first suggestion that they might split up. Anna didn’t react outwardly, but inside she felt a sharp jab. In only a few days the group had bonded, and their two dragons had helped them defeat five adult greens. Tanner had stayed and destroyed eggs and chicks, and she hadn’t asked him how many, but if there were only five more, the number of greens in the air would have soon doubled. She suspected that there had been far more than that.

While others might not know what happened last night, she knew that they had struck a major blow. First burning Shrewsbury and now killing the green dragons so the ‘dragon masters’ from Breslau couldn’t use them.

She said, “Tanner or Thief can stay with you if needed.”

“I can watch over my dragon alone. If anyone gets close, they will find out how accurately it can spit. But I’m still hoping we can go on with you.”

Raymer’s dragon delivered part of a deer by dropping it near their camp. It left again and soon returned with one that it placed at the forelegs of the other dragon. They skinned and roasted the haunch over the fire, while surrendering the rest of it to Raymer’s red. They stayed awake talking like they’d done so many other times.

In the morning, Anna limped from her wounded leg, still uncertain as to how it happened, Raymer grabbed his side when he moved too quickly, and each of the others tended their wounds. None seemed inflamed or infected, and as the morning drew on their movements became easier. Most slept several times during the day, but always at least one watched the road and went to greet anyone traveling in either direction.

Raymer made the comment that few seemed surprised at the information of the invasion. All seemed to know at least pieces, and most had already made plans to escape from the area. A few joked about inept King Ember sending his troops so far south that the back door to the King’s palace was wide open. If peasants could see and understand his mistake, how could a well-educated king be so stupid? It was a question often asked in one manner or another.

Anna asked herself how could the general who had stopped, be even more stupid. Did following military orders, remove part of the brain? No, he would probably continue to do his duty, but think about her words, and might even relocate part of the troops as a result.

She checked with each of them and found all were ready to depart early in the morning if they moved slowly. Carrion wanted to remain a few more days but said that he would relocate the dragon farther off the road, out of sight. He believed he would rejoin them in no more than three days.

After a quick meal in the morning, they watched Carrion’s dragon stand and test its wings. One tear was larger and appeared red and raw, but the other two smaller tears already seemed to have partially healed, however, Anna could still see through them. The dragon flapped them slowly and managed to fly, but each downstroke looked painful to her. It flew east, into the forest of tangled brush and stunted trees. Carrion already had his belongings packed and headed after it, waving for the last time but offering no words.

“You two are a lot alike,” Anna observed.

“I know. But I’m prettier.” Raymer hefted his backpack and moved to the edge of the road with the others. His dragon moved tenderly on the foot that had the most damage, but when it took wing it flew normally. Raymer must have touched minds because he murmured, “That’s it. Now find a cliff to sit on. Rest.”

They walked on the road, Thief at Anna’s side, while Tanner and Raymer followed. Thief kept stealing glances at her. Finally, she leaned closer and said, “What is it?”

“Will we fight more dragons?”

“No. I mean, maybe, but not like we did before. Actually, I don’t know.”

“No is a good answer,” Thief declared after thinking about it for perhaps the time it took to take ten steps.

Anna turned to him. “It’s the best I have.”

“Where are we going?” Thief asked, although he had heard them talking the night before.

“First to a fishing village called Racine. We’ll find a ship there, or wait for it to arrive, and then we’ll sail across the Endless Sea.”

“Endless?”

She chuckled, “By the time we get there, we’ll probably think so. You don’t have to go. I can put you in a room at an inn, and you can wait for us to return. Boats are not the most pleasant things to travel on.”

“You have been on one?”

“I have. Just a short one, but I found it interesting. Maybe that’s because I never sailed to a place so far away that is filled with people who want our lands. No, that’s probably not true. Without knowing for sure, I suspect the average person in Breslau does not want our lands, and they do not hate us.” She screwed up her face as if to say that she didn’t know the answer to most of the questions he was asking.

“Then why should we go there?”

“They have a king. Maybe a queen. And lots of people, from what I understand. Too many people to feed with the little slice of land they have, so they want to come here where there is more land to farm.”

They walked in silence as Thief considered her explanation. Anna held back a smile. She knew another question was coming. And she suspected she knew what it would be, although she didn’t know the precise words.

Thief waved his arms wide, encompassing all the land to either side of the road, and not a house, farm, or building in sight. “We could give them this.”

“I knew you’d say something logical and sensible like that. And you’re right except for one thing. Instead of asking, they are taking. They sent those green dragons ahead, and they are coming in ships, with swords waving and arrows flying.”

They continued, with her wondering what his next words would be. He didn’t disappoint. “They are like you and me.”

“How is that?”

“In the Drylands. You thought I was taking what belonged to you. Then you freely gave me food and my new knife.”

Anna said, “I don’t see your point.”

“If I tried to take food and knife from you, we would fight. But you are free to give.”

“Yes, but there’s more. In your example, they want my food and knife, and they will kill me to get it. Then they will kill my friends and family and take my lands. They will make new laws, and their army will make sure we obey, or they will kill all of us.”

Thief walked for a long time before speaking again. “While they are here taking our lands we could take theirs.”

The idea was so ridiculous she snorted and started to explain, but the words didn’t come. Thief was maybe right. She pulled to a stop and turned. “Tanner, when you were in Breslau, you said there were three fleets of ships, each with soldiers training to man them? I mean the soldiers were all going on the ships?”

“From what we saw, that’s right. I’d guess every man of fighting age, they could enlist, was ready to climb on the ships.”

“Thief just asked me a good question. If they are all coming here, who is guarding Breslau?”

Raymer’s mouth twitched as he tried to hold in a laugh—and failed. He bent over and laughed so hard the others watched him as if he’d turned daft. When he regained control of himself somewhat, he took a step forward until he was standing only a step away, then he knelt and bowed his head. “For the smartest woman, I know.”

“Get up and stop fooling around.”

“As you wish.” He stood, but said, “I was not teasing. You have put your finger on their greatest weakness. Now it is up to us to exploit it. Imagine them sailing to Shrewsbury while our ships sail to Breslau and we capture their Royalty.”

Tanner gazed off into the distance. “It could be done. . .”