Dragon Rider Betrayed

“There weren’t always dragons in the valley.” Liam muttered, “There weren’t any in this region until Malek brought them here. These beautiful creatures became tools of war. War between power hungry kings, war that made nothing better, only more death and more heartache. “Why can’t they see what is happening? Why are we always being ruled by one ruthless maniac after another? Everyone outside the palaces struggle just to feed their families while those inside wallow in their luxury and greed.”

Liam struggled for a few moments, then stilled, it had finally resonated in his mind. ‘They had shot and killed his beloved Chester. He was caught up in the webbing of Chester’s right wing. Maybe it best to just lay here and die, the king had already announced the marriage of his son to his beloved Anna. He and Chester had made a valiant attempt to flee, he had a plan to return and steal her back. Now Chester paid for it, paid with his life because Anna had refused to marry King Albert’s dork son. He and Chester had taken flight the minute he received her message that the king planned to torture him in front of Anna until she said yes to Burton.’

He laid back and stared at the beautiful wing, the wing that carried him to heights he had never dreamed of reaching. Reaching out he touched the smooth webbing, so soft and yet so strong. He closed his eyes to try holding in the tears, but they came unbidden, it is not a sign of weakness to weep for a friend so true. He turned his head and studied the scales on the great chest, they shimmered even without the sun. Gently he stroked it, he saw the arrow that had pierced his great heart and the pool of crimson blood. Still Chester had wrapped him in his wings as he fell protecting him even in death.

Chester had stood twenty feet tall and gleamed a deep emerald green. His wingspan had been almost double his length and never was there a more handsome beast. Liam had raised him from a tiny dragonette, who followed him around like a puppy for six months. When he became too large for the house, Liam had built a barn, a beautiful barn for his beloved dragon. Earning the right to a dragon egg had been a hard path but no one had been able to best Liam in the trials and the only thing better in his life than owning Chester was his beloved Anna. For her both he and Chester vowed to give their life for her honor. Now Chester had done just that.

“Wait,” he whispered to himself, “Chester said he had a mate, she had left the dragon stables to nest away from the king’s men who snatched every egg and auctioned them off.” He continued to whisper though there was no one around to hear, “earning a right to a dragon was a thing of the past. Now one just needs enough gold.” He grimaced and then wiggled his right leg free of the bow of Chester’s wing, it had pinned it down but had little of the weight of the dragon's huge bone on it.

‘Surely, they would come in the morning to retrieve his body,’ he thought. ‘They will want to throw it in front of Anna, to force her to bend to their will. If there is no body, she will never concede.’ She had promised her own death by her own hand should she ever see proof that he had perished. Without a body she will not believe them and therefore still fight. ‘I have to wait a little longer, in the dead of night is my best chance to flee. I will honor Chester and find his mate; I will protect her and her young. Then I will find a way to free Anna.’

He closed his eyes again Chester’s body was slowly losing its heat. He would wait another hour, but not too long, once the body was rigid, he may not be able to crawl out. His thoughts turned to Anna, her long golden hair, soft smooth skin, and perfectly shaped pink lips. Ah the sweetness in those lips, the smile that she had only for him. Deep blue eyes that melted his heart the very first time he had looked into them, he was ten years old at the time and had promised her then he would one day marry her and love her with a fire that would never die. That wedding was only a month away when that fool Burton had decided he wanted Anna.

He relived the horror of watching them drag her from her home. Without warning he had been snatched and shackled right outside her house. She screamed at them that she would never agree and vowed to fight to the last breath. It had been and entire week of her locked in a room and he locked in a dungeon before Jayson had finally slipped him a key and helped him escape. Chester was waiting and they had fled. Jayson continued to bring him messages from Anna while he planned a way to free her. A few days later and they came for him, Chester had outflown them all, he wondered at the willingness of the other riders to try killing one of their own, their leader in fact, because Liam was the captain.

Some one had to have told them where he and Chester were, the attack was sudden, after a week of hiding. He had barely scrambled onto Chester’s back, with no harness to hold to, Chester flew straight up, but there were others waiting above and he could not out-fly the dozens of marksmen circling above. His descent was carefully made even with an arrow through his heart he landed in a canyon, in a thick stand of trees that the men would have to chop their way into before they could get to him. He sighed and pulled the arrow from Chester’s heart and wrapped it in his cloak, with tears once more stinging his eyes Liam pulled a dark green scale and slid it into his shirt. It was time to go, he needed to escape.

***********

Anna wept as Burton gloated. “The mighty Liam has fallen.” He sneered. “I shall have thee in my bed soon enough. His great and mighty dragon was shot from the sky and soon you shall have your proof.” He leaned towards her, but she slapped him hard and backed farther into the corner of the room that was her prison. Burton was not a big man, no match for Liam and weak minded. He pulled back then glared at her. “You won’t ever hit me again, or I will have them tie you to my bed. You will be mine and you will submit.”

Anger rose in Anna’s throat like bile it tasted sour, and she glared back at him. “I will never submit, your stupid, farce of a marriage will not last long. I told your father I would refuse to marry you at all costs.” Her dark blue eyes glistened, the tears had abated with the anger, and then were replaced with hatred, “If you do as you say and tie me to your bed your sick fun will be short lived. I will die before submitting to your scrawny twisted little plan. You will be widowed before the first change of the moon. If I cannot take you with me, I shall indeed die by my own hand.” Her words were said with an air of finality. “If you have succeeded in killing my beloved Liam then it is your own life you need be in fear of.”

Burton was not used to being threatened and he showed his fear even though he tried to mask it. “We will see who wins.” He managed and turned on his heel. “Lock the door and guard it.” He ordered his attendant. He headed straight to his father to tell him what she had said.

Pacing the room now, Anna knew she had little time left, she needed a plan, a good one, and quickly. As she fumed and schemed it was only an hour later the lock clicked on her door. The guard opened the door but held onto it. A kitchen maid came through carrying a tray with her lunch. Anna eyed her quietly and moved closer. “You better eat, Prince Burton is very concerned that you eat.” She said the words she was told to say but there was contempt in her voice.

“How about you eat it and I watch. We can tell them I did.” Anna said working hard to keep her suspicions in check. The girl stared at her not comprehending. “I think they are trying to poison me.” She said and stepped back.

The girl shook her head, “Why would they do that? Burton wants to marry you.” She said the second part with severe jealousy dripping from her words. She set up the tray and poured the tea.

“Okay if you are so sure that they are not going to poison me then you taste it. Taste it all.” Anna said and crossed her arms in an air of finality.

Snorting her contempt, the girl first tasted the wine. All the important people and members of the royal family were served fine wine that no one else was allowed to have. She then tasted the soup and the bread. There was custard for dessert. “Have more wine, I don’t care for it.” Anna said softly. The girl looked at her for a moment and shrugged, she was not going to pass up an opportunity to have the wine. A few minutes later the girl was passing out and Anna knew she had been right. Burton had drugged her wine and thought he would sneak in and take advantage of her. If he had succeeded, then he could hold that over her head.

Anna had managed to strip the hapless chambermaid down and put her in the bed before she was completely unconscious. She quickly changed her clothes and checked the mirror. Her hair and smooth skin would give her away. Taking out some sheers she lopped off her long braid and with misty eyes stuffed it in the apron pocket. She then dipped a towel in the tea, rubbed it over her face and arms to dull and darken her skin. With little time left she wrapped a length of cloth around her head and dabbed the tea on the little bit of hair showing to darken it. She dumped the food and gathered up the dishes and the tray.

Tapping on the door she tipped her head down. “Very mean woman.” She mumbled as the guard shut the door behind her. Trying not to give herself away. Anna strode away trying not to hurry, heading for the kitchen, she placed the tray on a holder near the door and ducked down a side passage. This passage led to the washroom. Her heart was now pounding in her chest, no one had recognized her yet. She grabbed a basket filled with clean sheets and headed out the door.

“Be sure you don’t dawdle now, get them sheets hung without talking to them young stable boys.” A very rough voice called after her. She refrained from saying anything and kept walking. Looking around she realized the lines for hanging laundry were only a hundred yards or so from the stable. The stable had paddocks that led outside the castle walls. Hoping her luck did not run out, Anna set her basket down and made a dash for the stable. Once there she could not believe her luck, most of the stable hands were eating the noon meal.

Slipping into the tack area she found the grooms’ quarters and snatched a pair of breeches and a shirt that looked like they might fit. She then found a worn felt hat and changed. Making her way to the stable area, she found tack hanging in front of each stall. An older grey mare stood watching her. She smiled and slipped a halter over her head. The mare followed quietly, and Anna led her out into the paddock area. Two more gates and she was free. At the last gate she freed the mare and wrapping the halter and lead about her waist Anna looked back only once. All hell would soon break loose, and she would be deep in the forest when it did.

She would need help getting completely away and finding out where Liam’s dragon fell. It suddenly hit very hard that Liam had lost his first love, his beloved dragon Chester. Anna had been jogging a familiar path, the intensity of emotion drove her into the trees where she could weep for the beautiful animal and pray that Liam had survived. She had managed to send notes to Liam through his best friend Jayson. Now she was afraid to approach Jayson for fear the king’s men would kill him for helping her and Liam. She heard voices and edged deeper into the shadows.

“White Rock Pass, we are to go and not return without the body.” A voice said, she heard the clatter of hooves and the jangle of armor, the recovery units had been sent to find Liam. “The Dragon is dead we know, but no one can spot Liam from the air. Damn shame Liam turned on the king, I liked him.” Another voice said. “I did too” a third voice added his opinion. Anna waited quietly until all had passed.

She shook her head, ‘so, the soldiers had been told that Liam had turned against the king, that would explain why they chased him down.’ “Fools,” She spoke under her breath, “do you believe everything you are told just because it comes from that lily-livered weasel you call king?” She had to make her way to White rock, but first she decided she needed to stop in at her grandfather’s barn and work on her disguise. She fingered the long braid she had retrieved from the apron pocket and stuffed inside her shirt. ‘Would Liam still love her without it?’ She wondered.

Easing into the back of her grandfather’s barn, Anna found what she needed to make herself look ordinary. Some saddle oil mixed with ash she rubbed throughout her hair. The saddle oil alone made her skin darker, and she carefully covered every square inch of exposed skin. She retrieved an old hat her grandfather used to wear. A very old shirt covered her well and the added binding her breasts made her look very boyish. Worn boots and she was done. It would be hard to tell who or what she was right now. She was ready to make her way to White Boulder and find Liam. She vowed if caught she would die by her own hand, so she tucked a little package into the brim of the old hat. All she had to do was swallow it. Taking a large stick and a sack for some other items she decided she needed to have, Anna made her way to the road and eased out of town. It would take the rest of today and the better part of the night to reach the canyon.