Thorne

Thorne

By Sheryl Cruger

Chapter 1

There weren’t always dragons in the valley.

My father’s stories always started off with that phrase. On the cold winter nights my sisters and I would gather around the fireplace and beg to hear the tales of what life in the valley had been like in the days of his youth. Before the five great, impervious, black fortresses of stone erupted from the earth, bringing their guardians, the dragons, with them. Before the wars between these fortresses had scorched the earth black with dragon fire. Before the fields and forests finally regrew from the ashes in the uneasy peace from the war… Before I found myself now, soaring through the endless blue sky, touching clouds with my fingertips.

It was midafternoon on a lovely spring day. The forest was cool, a light breeze buffeting the leaves and branches, making the trees seem to dance. I had been on my way back to my village from three days of foraging for supplies in the dark woods which lay at the base of the great mountain separating us from the kingdom to our west. It had been a somewhat difficult voyage, with some of the rare plants needed being more scarce than usual. I had to venture further into the wood, and I had another day of walking to get back home. But, when the weather was this lovely, the journey was a joy. The woods were peaceful. The birds soared overhead calling to one another in their spring folly.

I looked up into the sky and felt the sunshine on my skin. Like a child, I swung my arms and spun on my toes, my dark auburn hair catching the light and glowing like fire. I laughed and spun around again, forgetting myself for a moment. In the distance I spotted a doe grazing on a thatch of tender green grass. Not wanting to spook her, I knelt on the ground to watch. But just then, she stopped to look up, flicking her ears. Without warning she jumped away into the forest. Disappointed, I frowned as I watched her white tail disappearing into the deeper thicket. I sighed and resumed walking, lightly humming as I walked along the old forest path.

It was then that I heard a terrible sound, a great bellow of pain from deeper in the forest. I stopped suddenly and ducked down into the underbrush. No beast that I have ever heard made that noise. The sound was almost metallic, harsh. Moans followed, lowing in the quiet of the forest. There was then a sharp cracking sound followed by another ear-piercing shriek and what sounded like labored panting. Slowly I stood and began to quietly step down the path toward the sounds. I moved more quickly now, my heart pounding with fear. My brain yelled at me to run for home, but my heart would not allow it. My calling as a healer overcame my better sense and I began to run to the sound.

As I ran through the forest, I noticed that a great number of trees appeared to be broken, the tops sheared completely off or hanging from the bark, like something had fallen from the sky. I followed the path of the broken trees, finally bursting through a thick cluster of broken underbrush and into a meadow. My foot caught a hidden branch and I sprawled face first to the ground. The straps of the pack I carried broke, and the pack flew over my head, clattering on the ground. Grimacing in pain, I pushed myself back up onto my knees. As I looked up, my breath caught in a gasp.

No more than twenty feet before me was the largest dragon I had ever seen. His head was turned towards his left forelimb, where a thick arrow had pierced through the dense hide. He grasped the arrow’s fletching with his teeth and pulled on the arrow sharply, trying to remove it. The dragon released the arrow and roared ferociously with the pain. Without thinking I covered my ears and screamed too, foolishly bringing his attention to my presence. His immediate response was to drop his diamond shaped, scaled head close to my face and show me every sharp tooth he owned. The snarl he sounded made my heart drop. The crests on his snout and head shook with rage as he growled and snarled, thick saliva dripping from his massive jaw. Enormous claws stepped toward me, crushing the grass and denting the ground. I noted bloodstains on the pointed, golden claws and my stomach turned. Dark wisps of smoke swirled from the creature’s nostrils, and his chest heaved, making the smoke billow around me. For a second, all I imagined was being burned into cinders. The only move I could make was to raise my hands and close my eyes.

The dragon groaned again. Head down, I slowly opened my eyes to see the great beast stumbling backward. With a low roar he slumped to the ground, his chest rising and falling quickly as if he was panting. He lowered his head and rested it on the ground. A deep breath and a low moan followed. The dragon closed his eyes briefly, then gazed again at the arrow. I remained kneeling on the ground, but slowly lowered my hands and rested them in my lap, where the dragon could see them. Taking a deep breath, I silently prayed to the Gods for my survival.

“Please… dragon… I have no intention to harm you.” I began, daring to look into his eyes. “I… I heard your cries. Please, I can help.” The dragon cocked his head in my direction and narrowed its emerald eyes briefly into slits. Dark smoke billowed menacingly from his nostrils as he once again displayed his rows of sharp teeth. He puffed a cloud of brimstone right into my face, making my eyes water. I gulped hard but continued.

“It is my understanding that some dragons can understand human speech. Are you able to do so?” The dragon nodded slowly but kept a wary gaze on me.

“My name is Faeya.” I began. “I am the eldest daughter of Eldric, the blacksmith of the Northwood and of Rhea, the great healer. I too, am a healer, or learning to be.” I looked down briefly, then back into the dragon’ eyes. “I have been in the forest searching for the roots and plants we need for medicine. Noble reasons bring me into the forest today. A desire to help others.”

“I don’t know who shot you with that arrow, or why it was done. But I am sad that you are hurt.” To this, the dragon lifted his head and turned it to face me head on. This time, he did not display teeth or snarl. He brought his nose down to my face and inhaled deeply. My eyes widened and I froze. The dragon only made a chuffing sound and turned his head more, studying me intently. Then he nodded and dropped his head back down into the matted grass.

“The arrow,” I continued, pointing to his foreleg, “needs to be removed while the wound is still fresh. I can do this, if you allow me.” The dragon looked to the wounded limb and back at me again. He snorted then jutted his chin upward at the wound as if to say, ‘you can try’. Shaking, I slowly stood and sidestepped toward the leg, not taking my eyes off the dragon’s face. He made a chuffing sound again and lay his head back to the ground weakly, keeping his eyes on me.

The arrow had cleanly pierced through, the barbed end protruding completely from the back of his leg. The fletched end of the shaft was riddled with teeth marks and crushed in places, evidence of the dragon’s attempts to remove the arrow. As I continued to examine the arrow shaft, I noticed a thick purple substance sticking to it. It couldn’t be dragon’s blood, that was fire red in color. I touched the arrow and gently swiped the material off the wood. Frowning, I rolled the substance between my thumb and forefinger. The dragon looked up again in interest. I took a tentative sniff of the material and found a slightly acrid odor. Against my better judgement I took a taste of it as well and quickly spat the substance out again. I grabbed a water flask from my broken pack and rinsed my mouth out.

“Nightsbane.” I looked to the dragon again. “No wonder you’re weakened. The arrow was dipped in poison. There remedy I can make for you, although I cannot promise you’ll agree with the taste.” The dragon lifted his chin and seemed to shrug slightly as he plopped his head back into the grass. I rummaged through my knapsack and brought forth a metal pot and a mortar with pestle. Digging further, I pulled out the numerous bundles of the herbs and roots I had collected, selecting the necessary ingredients and putting proper amounts into the mortar. I slowly ground the medicine, mixing and crushing as I progressed. Satisfied with the pulped ingredients, I set the mortar aside and poured the contents of one of my extra water skins into the pot.

“Normally I would heat this and let the herbs steep a bit. But with all the dry grass in this meadow, starting a fire would be a disaster.” The dragon looked at me and nuzzled the ground with his nose. Soon he managed to pull a stone from the earth and put it in his mouth. Curiously I watched him as he seemed to be rolling the stone around in his mouth. A bright light glowed from the dragon’s neck and a plume of smoke puffed from his nostrils. He then opened his mouth revealing the now red -hot stone, which he promptly dropped into my pot by extending his neck. The water bubbled and hissed immediately.

“Well, that works too.” I said with a grin and scraped the crushed plants into the simmering water. “Now, for that arrow. I’m sorry, my friend, but I fear this is going to hurt.” I drew out the blade I carried to help cull the woody materials I needed and, taking a furtive glance at the dragon, deeply scored the arrow on the fletched end. Stabilizing the arrow by gripping the section closest to his foreleg I sharply broke the arrow across the score line. The dragon shifted and huffed. Small trickles of blood began flowing anew from both sides of the wound. I would need to work quickly.

I stepped over his claws to gain purchase on the barbed end of the arrow. There was no good way to do this at all. With both hands I gripped above the barbs and looked to the dragon’s face.

Eyes wide, I said, “Please, my friend. Don’t eat me.” With all my strength I pulled on that arrow and withdrew it completely from his foreleg. The dragon stood and roared so loudly I felt the earth tremble and I fell to the ground, the arrow flying off to the side. The dragon thrashed his head, and rising on his hind legs, roared even more, ejecting a bright blue blaze of fire into the sky. His great blue wings extended menacingly as he huffed. He turned towards me then and dropped his forelegs on either side of my feet. His enraged face, smoke pouring from his nostrils, came down just inches before my own. The dragon opened his mouth again and all I could see were the rows of sharp, pristinely white teeth. The air was thick with brimstone, catching my breath. Shaking, I closed my eyes, not wanting to see death as it took me.

But neither the teeth I thought I would feel shred me to pieces came, nor any scorching fire to burn me to cinders. Just a small puff of warm air. I opened my eyes to see the dragon’s attention was now turned to the arrow, and my right-hand laying palm open next to it. Angry red lacerations, which I had not felt until now, marred the skin of both palms. The dragon leaned down and gently licked the lacerations on my right palm, then my left. Suddenly the bleeding stopped. He picked up the arrow in his teeth and tossed it away. With a large sigh, he turned around a few times and plopped back down on the ground to lick the wounds on his foreleg, staunching the bleeding there as well. I sat up and looked at my hands. The wounds looked deep, but they were healing quickly.

“Thank you.” I said and bowed my head to the dragon, who stopped mid lick to nod back. I stood back up on shaky legs and walked around the meadow, looking for something with which to stir the medicine. Fortunately, I found a long stick and began to stir the pot. Wafting the steam to my nose, I confirmed that the herbs had steeped enough. I needed both the liquid and the strained pulp to make a poultice. I did not have linens for a bandage with me though. Thinking quickly, I stood and pulled the long tails of my chemise out of my leather breaches. Using my dagger, I deftly cut long strips from the material to make bandages and to strain the medicine. I looked up and saw the dragon watching me with interest, one brow elevated in what seemed to be a very human like expression.

“What?” I grinned. “It’s an old thing anyway.” Quickly I gathered the pulp into a strip of linen and gently squeezed the hot liquid back into the pot. Then I fished out the stone the dragon heated for the water. I wrapped the pulp in several more layers of linen to keep it from drying. Patting the side of the pot, I determined the metal was cool enough to handle, so I picked up the pot and brought it over to the dragon and set it down in front of him.

“Alright.” I said, pointing to the pot. “You need to drink this. All of it.”

The dragon put his nose to the tea and took a long sniff. He drew back quickly and sneezed. The dragon looked at me suspiciously, and I gestured pointedly to the pot again. Slowly he lapped at the water and lifted his head to swallow. He looked at me and stuck his tongue out, disgusted.

“I said the taste was disagreeable. But it will help.” The dragon sighed and proceeded to gulp down the tea quickly. When he was done, he belched and groaned.

“I am sorry. I know how bad it tastes.” I mused. “I accidentally ate nightsbane once when I was a child. My mother made me drink that tea every day for a week.” I smiled weakly at the dragon. “You must rest now. I need to apply a poultice from the herbs to the wounds. It will help to neutralize any poison left there.”

I picked up the linens, another water skin and the poultice. I looked at the waterskin. I would need to be careful now. I only had one skin left for drinking. Finding water would now be a priority once my task was done. Gently I poured water on the wound in the back of his foreleg, gently swabbing away blood and nightsbane. I rinsed the wound again, unwrapped the poultice and applied some of it directly into the open wound. The dragon groaned a little then sighed. Once this wound was packed and covered, I stepped back over his leg and sat down in front of his face.

I gently stroked his cheek. “I’m so sorry that hurt. Once that nightsbane is out of your system, your quick healing should return. And in the morning, I can take off the poultices.” The dragon lifted his head and snuffled my neck, just under my hair. Very gently he rested his muzzle on my shoulder. Without thinking I patted his neck and leaned my head into it. Sighing I stood and returned to my work, gently cleansing the second wound on the front foreleg. Now that I could take my time, I marveled at the shimmering beauty of the dragon’s scales, which were a deep-sea blue shot through with golden streaks which glittered slightly in the sunlight.

“You know,” I began. “You really are quite lovely.” The dragon lifted his head and tilted it to the side. The ridged brow of his left eye seemed to be raised, questioning. Teasingly, I continued with a slight smirk. “I have never seen a dragon like you with such brilliant colors. I wonder…” I cast him a sidewise glance. “If maybe you’re a girl dragon. I have never seen a girl dragon.”

The dragon reared his head up, eyes widened. Then he turned his head and huffed. I giggled because he looked absolutely scandalized. His eyes narrowed, and he suddenly swooped his head down to face me, looking me right in the eyes. I gasped in fright as he puffed a shot of warm air into my face. The dragon then slowly moved to me, nuzzling his nose next to my neck again and took a deep inhale through his nose. He drew his head back and shivered from nose to tail, making the scales ripple and glitter in the sunlight. Then he flopped to the ground with his tongue hanging out of his mouth. I stood, mouth agape, hands on hips.

“Why you devil!” I laughed. The dragon started shaking and making a chuffing sound. I never thought a dragon could laugh but I could swear he was. He seemed to be smiling, the edges of his mouth turned upward in a fearsome grin. I started laughing again. ‘Ok, Ok, you rogue. You’re NOT a girl. I was only kidding, by the way. Except about never seeing girl dragons.” I looked at him questioningly. ‘Are there females too?”

The dragon shook his head no in a ‘matter of fact’ way and put his head back down.

By the time I finished dressing my new friend’s wounds, it was nearing twilight and the air was beginning to chill. I washed my hands with a little water and dried them on what was left of the hem of my chemise. I knelt to the ground and rummaged through the knapsack for something to eat. I’m sure I would find something to tie me over until the morning, but I wasn’t sure about the dragon. At the bottom of the pack I found a few apples and what was left of the bread I had brought with me. It was getting a bit dry, but it would have to do.

I brought the food over to the dragon and offered one of the apples. He gently took the fruit and crunched at it slowly. I placed another apple and the bread in front of him and took a bite from the remaining fruit and sighed.

“This is all I have until the morning, my friend. Perhaps then I can find some small game for us both, although I cannot imagine that a rabbit would fill your belly. Maybe tomorrow you will feel well enough to fly and get yourself back to your fortress in time for a decent meal.”

I unrolled the wool blanket attached to my pack and wrapped it around my shoulders as I continued to eat. I shivered a little in the cooling air and finished eating the small offering. I wished I could build a small fire, but there was no way to do so without setting the meadow aflame. The blanket would have to do. The dragon had finished eating his meal and had curled up on the ground, seeming content with the cool night air. I put my hood up over my head and wrapped the blanket completely around myself and used my lumpy knapsack as a pillow. Despite the thick blanket, I still shivered from the chill and turned in my attempt to get comfortable.

I turned over once again, my back facing away from my dragon friend. As I huddled into the blanket, I felt a bump at my back. I looked over my shoulder to see the bright emerald eyes of my friend looking at me. He seemed…concerned?

“It’s alright, I’m just chilled.” I spoke. I felt the dragon’s breath on the nape of my neck, then something pulling at the blanket, dragging me along the ground.

‘What on earth are you..” I started. The dragon pulled me up to the base its throat and rested me there against his chest. A glorious heat emanated from that spot and suddenly my chill was gone. He wrapped his neck around me and cradled me there against his scales, surrounding me with warmth.

“Thank you, my friend.” I said as I patted his neck again. Exhausted, we both fell into a much-needed sleep.

The next morning I awoke feeling much renewed and went to check on my new friend’s wounds. I lifted the cloth and removed the poultices. The once angry punctures were now completely healed. I gasped in amazement. The dragon rose his head over mine to look as well and he nodded, seeming pleased. I smiled up at him.

“How are you feeling this morning? Better?” The dragon nodded his great head. Without warning, he shifted his now healed foreleg towards me and wrapped his head and neck around my back it what seemed without a doubt to be a dragon’s version of an embrace. I wrapped my arms around his neck as well. “I’m glad.”

Something dark overhead took the dragon’s gaze to the sky. I looked up to see a large falcon soaring above us. The dragon raised his snout and made a series sharp clicking barks, his great neck buckling and snapping as he called. Suddenly a great crashing noise and many loud voices were heard coming through the forest. I turned my head to see black and red clad soldiers rushing into the meadow. The dragon wrapped his foreleg closer around me as the men surrounded us, pointing spears and arrows at the dragon. His grip on me tightened as I looked over my right shoulder. The soldiers now were only ten yards from us and shouting something I could not understand. The dragon roared in warning at the men and shook his head.

“Fly dragon, get out of here.” But he did not move. “Please.” I begged as I turned my head and looked up at him.

It was then I felt a burning pain and a jolt in my right shoulder. I looked down to see a metal point protruding through the white fabric of my tunic, blood staining the cloth scarlet. I felt a second piercing pain in my side as the dragon roared in anger. He rose menacingly, his great leathery blue wings expanding in threat. I dropped to my knees, feeling suddenly dizzy and short of breath. I touched my hand to my side, confused at first on feeling the wetness there. Looking at my hand, now covered in my blood, I could not understand how I got shot. Why would the soldiers shoot me?

The colors of the world began to fade, and all the noise became an endless cacophony of roars and shouting until my ears were humming with it. I felt cold, disoriented as the world tilted sharply to the north. The dragon lifted off the ground and lurched towards the soldiers, roaring as he went. Without the dragon’s chest to lean against, I lost what balance I had and fell forward, my left hand bracing the earth, the only point of strength I had left.

‘Stop! All of you cease! You fools, she means no harm.” A voice shouted angrily.

I felt my eyes fluttering weakly and I tried to lay down so that I would not fall on the arrows, but two strong arms braced me. I looked up, blinking, vision blurred, into a pair of emerald eyes with furrowed brows. His mouth was moving, making sounds, words, but it was so hard to hear. He shook me gently and called my name.

How did he know my name?

I cried out in pain as I felt the arrow in my shoulder being snapped. The pain brought me back into focus. Someone was shouting to me to hold on. Something about more pain, then suddenly that arrow was deftly pulled out of my shoulder. I screamed as the heavy shaft was pulled through my shoulder, blood now pouring from the wound. I felt nauseous as the world tilted again.

“Faeya, you must hold on. Please stay with me. Faeya, the healer, you must listen now.” The voice was soothing, cajoling. I looked up again, but I could not focus enough to see the face above mine. The voice continued, “We must free the other arrow now. Faeya, I must push it through the flesh to the other side. Trying to pull the arrow out will only make you bleed to death faster. Can you understand what I’m saying?”

“Yes.” I replied weakly. Blinding pain then shot through my right side as the arrow was pushed through my side, and I screamed until I could no longer make any sound, my breath no longer under my command. I only jerked once as the arrow shaft was broken. And when the arrow was finally pulled free, I was no longer able to respond. My breaths were shallow. Even when the red-hot point of a dagger was applied to the wounds to stop the bleeding, I made no cries. The sounds and voices around grew louder then softer. I could feel my heartbeat slowing as warm fingers touched the side of my throat and the voices grew louder again.

“Sire, we must get her back to the fortress if you intend to save her life.”

“Yes, we must leave now.” Responded that soothing voice again.

“No, no, please.” I whispered dryly, turning my face to the voices. “Where’s my dragon? I won’t leave my friend. Please don’t… hurt him. He needs..to…go home…”

“You mean Thorne?” The voice said. “That rascal is fine. Don’t worry, sweet, he’s right here.”

“Thorne?” I replied, smiling gently. “…That suits him. He’s safe then…” The words sighed from my lips and the world seemed to spin and sway.

“Sire, she’s becoming delirious, she is still losing blood. We must move if there is any hope. She needs the healer. I’ll get your horse.”

“There’s no time for that.”

“You mean ...”

The arms that had been holding me steady gave way to hard ground. I then felt the cool strength of a claws grasping me firmly but gently around my torso and legs. Thorne. I became weightless as great wings stretched and lifted into the air. As we rose to the sky, the greens and browns of the forest faded to blues and white. The wind blew my hair everywhere, the auburn curls looking like dazzling flames in the rising sun. I gazed upward to see flashes of sea blue and gold above me and the deep grey of the mountains bordering the land I called home. Where my father called home. A home with a fireplace and eager children listening to their father’s stories of magic and war. My father’s words…

The last thing I heard myself say before I felt my strength leave and everything faded to darkness…

There weren’t always dragons in the valley.