Becoming a Dragon (30 page)

"Sorry, I still don't get what you're saying. It sounds like either way I'm going to spend the next nine months in a cell carrying a baby I don't want to have."

"No, that's the point, I don't think you are. They've put us in here together, knowing that risk. They wouldn't do that if they wanted you for their breeding programme. They'd want to be sure you're going to be carrying the right child."

Anna shrugged. "When it was born, they'd just kill it if it wasn't a Blue Dragon. I doubt they'd really care."

"No, they couldn't do that. When they're born there's no way of telling what it is—not for sure."

"What about skin colour? I thought babies were born with red hair and blue skin?"

"Not always," Pete replied. "Sometimes they take the coloration from one parent, sometimes the other. You could have two babies from the same Blue Dragon, and one might have your skin and hair colour, and the other might have his blue hair and skin."

Anna shivered. "What a horrible thought. I'd want to strangle it at birth."

Pete regarded her coldly. "You could do that? Murder a baby?"

Anna stared back at him challengingly. "Not just a baby. A monster. Destined to rape and murder our daughters when it grows up. Why wait till it is old enough to be lethal before getting rid of it?"

Pete said nothing in response. The image of the burned child was still fresh in his mind. He wondered if she would have thought the same as she did now had she seen what he had.

He shook his head. "Look, you're missing the point. I don't think they plan to use you like that. If they did, they wouldn't have left you here. You'd be with Butcher, wherever she is."

"So what do they want me for?" Anna asked. "There's no other reason to keep us here."

Pete shrugged and smiled coldly. "More importantly, what do they want
me
for? They killed Hill and Farmer. Why not me?"

"Whatever it is, it won't be good," Anna declared, sitting back and closing her eyes.

Hours passed by in the cell. The two young Red Dragons really didn't know each other, so they hardly talked at all. At least not at first. Anna was cold and hostile towards Pete, which he put down to fear and uncertainty regarding what lay ahead. The situation was certainly strange; they appeared to have been completely forgotten about by the Blue Dragons. Still, the Blues were planning on keeping them alive for the moment, as food was still provided at regular intervals. The lamps were small and didn't have much oil, so eventually they burned out, leaving them in complete darkness. They had no way of knowing the time or anything about what was happening outside their cell, so they reluctantly resigned themselves to sleep.

In the morning, at least when they assumed it was morning, four guards armed with short swords burst into the room without any announcement, accompanied by the man who had spoken to Pete the day after they were captured; the same one who had commanded those that had captured them.

"Ah, hello," he said by way of greeting. "I hope you're enjoying your new home. Stand up and hold your arms out."

"I demand to be told what's happening," Pete insisted, not moving from where he was sitting on his bed.

The man sighed, shaking his head before nodding to one of his guards, who calmly walked over and punched Pete in the face, knocking him backwards.

"Hold your arms out," the man repeated dully, as if a little bored. "You're to be bound, so I can talk to you without these guards. It can be done with you conscious or unconscious. I have no preference."

Anna and Pete held out their arms, and two of the guards approached them and attached chains to their wrists.

The man nodded at the guards, who left the cell.

"Right, I will tell you what I know. You will be staying here for some time; how long, I couldn't say. This will be the only time you'll be getting visitors so you won't see me again. Each morning you are to pass out those two buckets through the hole in the bottom of the door. In case you hadn't worked it out yet, the one with water in is for you to wash, and the other is your toilet. Being Red Dragons, I can see how that might confuse you, so I'll ask the guards to label them for you." He smiled cruelly at them as he spoke, watching them to see their reaction.

Pete ignored the jibe, determined not to react to anything he said, and just looked over at the door, and saw that there was a small door within the door, large enough for a bucket. The Blue Dragon continued his monologue.

"Your food will be given to you on trays through the door; as will fresh oil for the lamps. You will pass out the previous trays when you are given the next meal. It's a simple arrangement that even you should be able to follow. You won't see or hear them, but there will be guards stationed here at all times. They are instructed to not speak to you at all, although I can't think why they would want to anyway. If you have something you need, just write a message on this paper, and pass it to the guard. I assume at least one of you can read and write. The guards are under no obligation to pass anything along though, so I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for a reply. If you want to scream, or shout, or break anything in here, no one will care, or hear, other than the guard, who is authorised to beat you, so do as you wish. It's your home now. Any questions?"

"Yes," Pete replied. "Why are we being kept here?"

The man shrugged. "No idea. Don't care either and I don't intend to find out. Next question."

"Am I going to stay here?" Anna asked. "Or am I going to join Butcher?"

The man smiled. "Butcher? Is that her name? Seems about right for a baby killer. She wouldn't tell me, so I had to give her a name of my own. See, they let me count both of these two, so I reached my lucky ten, and I chose her, the other one. See? I'm not that bad. I could tell you liked this skinny one, so left her for you. You'll like the name I have given her. Little pig. Get it? Speaking of which, I only have her for another day. Better go back and give her some more attention. I think she will be looking forward to me visiting, don't you?"

Pete stared at him coldly, wondering if he could kill him while his hands were chained together.

"No, you won't be joining Little Pig, to answer your question. You two will be staying here a while longer. That was your last question. Enjoy your new home. Once I've left, stick your arms through that hole in the door. The guards will unchain you. If they feel like it. You may have to wait a while."

He rose and backed out the door, which slammed shut after him. The room was lit by two lamps again, the guards having refilled them without them noticing.

"What's funny about the name Little Pig? Is it because her name is Butcher?"

Pete shook his head. "No, it's because I suggested that he would like having sex with pigs. He has her, or at least he wants me to think that. To think about what he's doing to her."

"So he had a choice between the two of us?"

Pete looked at her. "If you believe a word he says, you were lucky to be overlooked. I suspect Butcher would happily swap places with Hill right now if he's telling the truth. But I bet he's probably lying just to spite me. I doubt he said anything that was true."

"He said that you liked the skinny one. Did he mean me?"

Pete turned away, a little embarrassed. "It doesn't matter what he said. You can't trust anything he said. Just be grateful it's not you with him. Come on, let's eat. They've left us breakfast…"

"I take it John's back," Jenna commented to Crystal. They were seated together in the classroom, waiting for their teacher to arrive.

Crystal looked up from the book she had been trying to read, and scanned the classroom. "Where? I can't see him."

Jenna shook her head. "He's not in the classroom. I'm talking about little Daisy. She's been on the verge of tears since the weekend. Now look at her."

Crystal looked over to where Daisy was taking her seat next to Arthur. The anxious, strained look was replaced by a radiant happy glow.

"Oh yeah," Crystal agreed. "Wow, she looks very different. I wonder when he got back."

"Hmm, you know, I get the feeling that she's happy about more than just John being back. Look at Arthur's scowl. I think little Daisy has nabbed John. Look at her dreamy, vacant expression. She's in love," Jenna said scornfully.

"Can't you be happy for her just this once?" Crystal pleaded. "You must have felt a little sorry for her these last few days."

"No," Jenna lied. "And I know why you're happy for her. You get to lose the stalker."

"Jenna! That stalker, as you call him, saved you from becoming dinner. You were that close from being eaten."

"Yes, yes, I know. I'll thank John when he gets back if I can pry him from Daisy. I doubt she'll want him talking to us. Especially you."

Crystal shrugged indifferently. "Doesn't look like he's coming in this morning anyway. Class is about to start and he's never late."

The Professor entered the room. "Settle down students…."

It was a beautiful sunny day, and unusually warm considering the season, so Crystal declined the invitation to eat indoors with Arthur and Jenna, and took her food outside to eat in the sun. A shadow settled on her as she laid out her food, and she looked up to see John standing in front of her.

"So you're back? I didn't see you at registration. Where were you?"

"I had to explain where I had been," John said. "I had a bit of a grilling over my absence. After the incident with Daniel, the headmaster has taken a greater interest in my well-being."

"Great," Crystal said flatly. "So do we all have to explain what happened?"

John shook his head dismissively. "They're satisfied with my answers, and there will be no more questions. I don't think they were even that interested. The matter is closed."

Crystal breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn't told her parents anything about the incident, and no one other than her friends at school knew about it. With hindsight, they had all come to the conclusion that they'd been pretty stupid to have not investigated what lived in the valley before going there. Plenty of remote spots in the Kingdom had wild pigs that could be very dangerous, and there was no reason to assume that they didn't live in the valley. Unfortunately, nothing dangerous lived in the west, or near the capital, so it hadn't occurred to Arthur or Seth to check.

"So, what are you doing out here?" Crystal asked. "I thought you'd want to be with Daisy."

"I do want to be with Daisy. But I thought we might talk for a bit. If now is convenient?"

Crystal frowned, remembering that she had intended to go a little easier on him since he had risked his life to save them. "I suppose so," she agreed rather reluctantly. "I was planning on eating lunch on my own. What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Well, I wondered how much you know about the military council?"

"John!" Crystal snapped, scarcely believing what she was hearing. "I don't want to talk about the council. I really thought that now you're with Daisy you would stop pestering me with all of this nonsense."

John shrugged. "Daisy understands that I need to do this. She doesn't understand why, but she trusts me and accepts that it is important to me."

"I don't understand why!" Crystal exclaimed in frustration. "Mainly because you haven't told me why you want to do this. I mean, this can't be rewarding for you. I'm clearly not that interested in any of this or a keen student generally. Surely there must be someone else you can impart your wisdom to?"

The sarcasm was lost on John. "No, it has to be you. The reason why will become clear only when you have learned enough. Look at it as a gift. I'm offering you knowledge; a powerful tool. It's a gift with only one thing asked of you: that you accept it and wait till I am ready to explain why I want to teach you."

"But I don't want to accept that! I want to know why first. I don't find what you are trying to teach me interesting."

"How do you know that?" John asked politely, ignoring Crystal's angry tone. "You don't know what I am trying to teach you yet."

"So far all you have done is just babbled on about boring politics and history. Is there going to be anything else?"

"Good question; there are ten things I want to teach you, some of which you know a little of already, some you know nothing of. Shall I tell you what the subjects are?"

Crystal sighed in defeat, realising that he wasn't go to give up. "Go on. I'm not really interested though."

"Alright. The subjects are transformation, flying, combat, red dragon history, politics and culture, your neighbours and other races, war, other foreign relations and a final lesson."

"Final lesson? That's not a subject," Crystal pointed out. "And I still didn't hear anything about what the point of doing all of this is; when are you going to tell me why you're doing all this?"

"That is what is covered by the final lesson," John replied cryptically.

Crystal shook her head firmly. "No, sorry John, but it's not enough. I'm very grateful that you saved my father, and me and my friends, and I'm sorry I was mean to you, but I don't want to spend hours of my life discussing all this with you. I have enough of it at school and I don't have much interest in the lessons I have to take. Not unless you can give me something more. I know you told me your father asked you to do this, but I have no idea why."

John paused for a long time before replying, as if struggling with how to respond. "It's partly to do with your real mother. I need to tell you who she was...when you're ready."

Crystal sat up in surprise at this news. "My mother? You've never mentioned this. What do you know of my mother? I don't even know her name. Why have you not mentioned anything about her before?"

"If I tell you, will you agree to be my student?" John asked coyly.

"That's not fair!" Crystal objected angrily. "You don't have a right to keep that information from me!"

"You're not ready to learn about your mother," John replied stubbornly. "And I'm not allowed to tell you about her. I've been given clear instructions on how to explain all of this to you, and it's been planned in a way to make easiest for you to handle. Who and what your mother was is part of the final lesson. This is for your benefit and your safety."

"My safety?" Crystal asked in confusion. "How is my safety at stake? I really don't understand."

John shrugged again, something that Crystal was starting to find very annoying. "Again, that will not be clear till the final lesson."

"Aargh!" Crystal screamed at him. "This is so frustrating! Why can't you just answer my questions? At least tell me my mother's name."

"Her name was Mary," John stated.

"Mary? Just Mary. Any other names?"

John shook his head. "Yes, but I haven't been told what they are. Look, I think you can admit that there are things I can teach you that you do want to know. But you will not know what you want to know until you learn a little more. The final lesson will be the most interesting lesson, but we can only get there once we have completed the other lessons, which will be faster if we start now. I want to tell you all about your mother, but I've been told very clearly what order I have to give you all of this information, and I've promised to follow that instruction. I wish I could tell you more but you aren't ready yet."

Crystal sighed, defeated. "I do want to know about my mother," she admitted, her voice softening. "I can't believe you didn't mention this sooner."

"That was not my choice," John replied apologetically. "My orders were to gain your friendship first, teach you the first nine lessons and then tell you everything about your mother in the final lesson. I've broken a promise to many people I respect just by telling you as much as I have." John paused and looked down, a sad expression on his face. "Look, I was selected on my ability to learn and to understand information as they thought it would make me a better teacher, not on my ability to make friends. That was harder than I thought it would be. If I was better at this you'd already know about your mother."

Crystal felt sorry for him. It wasn't a plea for sympathy, but an apology for failure. "I guess I didn't make it that easy for you. But anyway, what do you mean, selected? I thought it was your father's idea. Wasn't he a friend of my mother?"

John smiled. "There will be a lot to cover in that final lesson. May we begin?"

"Everything of interest apparently. Alright, I accept, although under protest. How are we going to do this?"

"At your pace, of course. My only purpose for being here in Furnace is for this, so I am obliged to make myself available as much as possible."

"Obliged to?" Crystal shook her head. "You really know how to make someone feel special. I do hope you're not going to be like this with Daisy."

John shook his head. "I probably am not as I should be with Daisy, but it is easier. Please understand, before I moved to Furnace, I spent the last six years living with just my father in a community with no other children. My father taught me everything, and was an excellent tutor, but social interactions were, well, rather limited. Coming to this place has been far harder than I expected."

Crystal suddenly felt very bad; sorry for how she treated him. "Just your father? What about your mother? Is she…."

John shook his head. "No, she's alive, but in poor health. She isn't able to travel, so stayed behind when we had to move. My father has gone back to her now."

Crystal was confused. "Why did you have to move? Have you really not seen her at all in six years? Couldn't you have visited her? You're such a good flier; couldn't you have just flown to your old home?"

John shook his head. "Some journeys are a little more difficult than others. I haven't seen her even once, and I've had very few letters. My father has visited her a few times, of course, but then he is a far better flier than me. It hasn't been possible for me to do so yet."

"So why did you move?" Crystal asked.

John looked at her with a sad smile. "Perhaps you can guess the answer to that one. If not, we'll cover it in the final lesson."

Crystal had a nasty suspicion that she was the reason he had moved, but decided not to press the matter.

"Alright, so, I understand your 'obligations', but I think you need to add Daisy to that list—if you want to keep her—as well as working for the Keeper if you want to stay here at this school. How about we meet after school twice a week for an hour?"

"It is agreed," John said solemnly. "You may choose the time and location."

"Alright. We can start after the holidays. There's only one more week and then I'll be away.  Perhaps we can make this a two way lesson. I'll help you socially in return. My first bit of advice is to try to speak to me like a sixteen-year-old friend rather than a judge or a general or a professor. Haven't you noticed that no one else speaks like you?"

John smiled and relaxed a tiny bit. "Thank you. I'll try and do as you advise."

Crystal shook her head and smiled. "We'll have to work on that."