Untethered

There weren’t always dragons in the Valley. In fact, it had been a relatively peaceful and safe place. Darius walked slowly over the scorched earth, reminiscing about times of peace while mourning the loss of his paradise. He was, of course, biased. This was a place he had created and ruled with benevolence towards any who sought refuge in his territory. He thought about the lush green earth with soil so fertile, food was abundant. He thought about the sky so blue it brought an instant sense of peace. He thought about how when he had closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his lungs filled with fresh air, and he could taste the native plants that colored the hillsides. But now, all of that was gone.

“Sir?” Darius started at the interruption. “I’m sorry sir, I didn’t mean to ….” It was Reyda. A sliver of sun poked through the grey sky, highlighting strands of her dark hair. She smoothed her hands on her frock, clearly nervous. For a moment he was struck by her purity and innocence, something he had rarely noticed before. A gust of wind swept her hair, temporarily obscuring the soft features of her face.

“It’s ok, Reyda. How are you?”

“Fine, sir… I just wanted to see if you had eaten. There’s a fresh meal at the Inn and I have prepared a plate for you to be served in your private room.”

“Very good, thank you. I will be in shortly.” He turned to look towards the hillside and felt a sudden sense of calm, though darkness still consumed the Valley. They were safe again… for now. How long it would last was unknown. He knew they had to be better prepared.

He also was becoming aware that a full meal would help him immensely, and he struggled to remember the last time he had been able to sit and eat in peace. With thoughts wandering, he turned to head back into the Village, eager for a hot meal.

The tavern was mostly empty. Debris still covered the floor, and the smell of soil and dust filled the air. Rammir was hastily sweeping the floor and ordering what little staff he had to make the area presentable. Knowing Darius was anticipating being served, it was an all-hands-on deck situation. He felt the best way to show gratitude was to instill a sense of normalcy. A few regulars had wandered in and were gratefully nibbling on the staples they had on hand: bread, fried eggs, and an impromptu sauté of local vegetables. And water. Reyda had been able to solicit a handful of strong volunteers to collect fresh water from the local spring earlier that morning. It was a hike, and a harder hike back with jugs full and heavy.

It had been weeks since the tavern had been in operation. Most of the Village had been escorted to safe areas, having been provided staples from the tavern and the market to sustain them. Rammir had never experienced food rationing the way they were today.

He didn’t, however, want Darius to sense the severity of the situation. Worry would not help them fortify. He had reserved a fresh chicken which was baking slowly with root vegetables infused with herbed butter. It smelled delicious and made his stomach grumble with hunger pains. They also had some fresh bread on hand. Reyda had risen early and prepared it before leaving to collect water. He marveled that despite the trauma the Valley had endured, they were still able to come together and support one another. If anyone deserved a meal without restriction, it was their leader, Darius.

“Rammir…” Rammir spun around, wielding his broom. Darius had appeared and loomed over Rammir’s small stature.

“Darius, I apologize, sir” … he relaxed and leaned the broom against the wall. He felt self-conscious of the half-cluttered space. “We weren’t quite ready, but your room is.” This much was true. Rammir and Reyda had made sure the private room was in order. The aftermath of destruction, however, remained evident in the main areas.

“I appreciate it, take some time,” Darius responded. He allowed the help to remove his coat and followed a long hall down to his private room. Inside, was a dining area overlooking a once peaceful view of the vineyard. A fire had been lit in the fireplace, and he took comfort in what would have ordinarily been routine. He sat in his normal place closing his eyes and, after a few moments, there was some crackling and soothing music poured into the room.

“Sir, some wine?” Darius opened his eyes and looked up, nodding. Reyda set his meal in front of him and poured him a glass. “I am sorry for the disarray....”

“Please, don’t.” Darius said holding up his hand in understanding. “Things are different now and I appreciate everyone coming together so quickly.” He took a bite of the fresh bread, drowning it with a gulp of wine. Reyda refilled the glass and turned to leave.

“Reyda,” he paused. She turned back around to face him. “Where is Gandor…?”

“He is still in solitary, Sir… away from the other dragons” she said hesitantly, uncertain whether they had done something wrong.

“OK,” he set down his chalice. “We need to get the dragon handlers to transition him in with the others.” Reyda stood there frozen. She opened her mouth to speak but no words came out.

Sensing her doubt, Darius offered reassurance. “It’s ok Reyda. They can do this. It’s time we use Gandor to train the tamed dragons. We need to be ready the next time the portal opens.”