dragon archives 05 - forever a dragon (6 page)

The mood was festive as Lleland made his way towards the hall late that afternoon for the evening meal. Some of the students had already left for the break, but most would leave the following morning to travel to their homes in the country. As always, there were some who would remain in their lodgings for the season, the distance home too far to travel in ten days. Lleland reached the bottom of the stairs and turned the corner, narrowly avoiding a collision with Drake.

“
Mea culpa, Magister
,” Drake said, stepping back.

Lleland waved the apology away. “I wasn’t looking where I was going.” They fell into step as they walked along the passage. “Do you remain here during the festivities?” Lleland asked.

“No. My sister and I travel to family tomorrow.”

“You have a sister in Civitas?”

“She’s just here for a few days. We have a townhouse in the city, and she stays there.” He paused for a moment. “I’ll be joining her for the evening. Would you care to join us?”

Lleland stopped walking in surprise. “Join you? Well, uh …”

“Unless you have other plans, of course.”

“No.” Lleland continued down the passage. “Thank you, I would like to join you.” Drake nodded and the two men entered the hall. To celebrate the end of term, the Dean had relaxed the rules regarding speaking at meals, and the mood in the hall was celebratory. Lleland walked to the dais and joined the other Masters as the priest intoned a blessing and the meal was served.

It was cold and drizzly when Lleland stepped outside a few hours later, where he had arranged to meet Drake. He pulled his cloak around his chest as Drake stepped from beneath the shelter of a tree.

“Drake House isn’t far,” Drake said as they started walking. “I sent a message ahead to Lydia to let her know I’m bringing a visitor.”

“Lydia’s your sister? Is there anyone else?”

“Just the servants.”

“She stays alone?” Lleland was surprised. “How old is she?”

“The same age as myself,” Drake said. “She’s my twin.”

They walked in silence for a while, before Lleland addressed Drake again. “I’ve heard the villages in the Northern Mountains are few and far between.”

“They are. We didn’t grow up in one of the villages, though. My family has a home deep in the mountains. The closest village is thirty miles away.”

“I’ve also heard there are dragons in the Northern Mountains.”

There was a moment of silence, and Lleland glanced at Drake, waiting for his reply. “You’re not very fond of dragons, are you?” Drake finally said.

Lleland looked away. “No.” He paused. “My father was killed by the dragon that attacked Civitas.” Lleland heard Drake’s surprised intake of breath. “I was just a boy. The dragon killed my father while I watched.” There was silence, and Lleland turned slowly to look at Drake. His eyes were narrowed, his expression set like stone.

“I’m sorry,” Drake said. “Please know how very sorry I am. I wish there was something I could do to … to make amends.” His voice shook slightly as Lleland listened in confusion.

“It was a long time ago, Drake.”

Drake nodded. “Of course. I just … I cannot imagine how that must have affected you.” They walked in silence for a few minutes. “If you don’t mind,” Drake said, “please don’t mention this to my sister. I’m afraid it will distress her.”

“Of course,” Lleland replied. They rounded a corner, and Drake stopped before a tall townhouse. Using his fist, he thumped on the door, and a moment later it was pulled open from within by a large, matronly woman.

“Hannah,” Drake said. “This is –” He was cut off when a young woman flew out the door and flung her arms around him.

“Zach!” He returned the embrace with a laugh.

“Hello, sister. It’s wonderful to see you again, too. I’ve brought our guest.”

“Oh!” Lydia pulled herself out of Zach’s arms and turned to Lleland with a blush, her eyes lowered. “Please forgive me, Master Seaton, but it’s been a while since I’ve seen my brother.”

“Three nights,” Zach said with a laugh. He threw a glance at Lleland, who raised his eyebrows. “Sorry, I’ve just made you complicit in my erring ways.”

Lleland shrugged. “You ran into her in the street, I’m sure, since you know that entertaining someone in your chambers would lead to immediate expulsion, as would sneaking out at night.”

Zach grinned. “Right you are.”

“Let these men get out of the cold,” Hannah interrupted. “My Sam lit a fire in the parlor in expectation of your arrival, and it should be cozy and warm by now.” She pushed the door closed behind them and waited as they shed their cloaks. “Take the men into the parlor, dear,” she said to Lydia, “and I’ll be along with some wine and victuals in a few minutes.”

“Of course, Hannah,” Lydia said, leading the way down the passage. Her long hair rippled over her back as she walked, gleaming in the low light of the rush torches. Beneath the soft folds of a white gown swayed slender hips, and her bare feet passed over the stone floor with barely a whisper. She paused at the entrance of the room and turned to Lleland. He had been watching her graceful movements, but as he lifted his gaze to meet hers, the breath caught in his throat. All thoughts fled from his mind as he stared into her glowing eyes, shining like molten gold and more beautiful than anything he had ever seen. The eyes of a goddess.

“Please make yourself comfortable, Master Seaton,” she said. He groped behind him and sat down heavily on a hard, wooden bench. Zach sat down next to his sister. “How go the studies?” she asked her brother.

“Ah,” Zach said, leaning back in his seat. “We poor students are driven very hard. I’ve told you before that only Latin is allowed. A dry, dead language!”

“A hardship indeed,” Lydia replied in that same language.

Lleland looked at her in surprise. “You speak Latin?” he said.

Lydia’s forehead furrowed as she slowly turned to look at him. “Yes,” she said. “Did you take me for an uneducated maid?”

“Lydia,” Zach groaned. She turned to him with a glare, but then it was gone, and she gave a self-deprecating laugh as she turned ruefully back to Lleland.

“My apologies, Master Seaton, that was rude of me.”

Lleland waved his hand. “The apologies are mine, Mistress,” he said. “I didn’t mean to insult you.”

“Thank you,” she said with a smile. “You’re forgiven!” She caught his gaze, and Lleland smiled back, shaking himself when he realized he was staring.

“How, er, I mean, where did you learn to speak Latin?” he asked.

“Master Corbin. He was our tutor, growing up.”

“Did he live in your remote mountain fortress?”

Lydia laughed. “Yes. And he sent us all over the mountain, searching for every specimen of flora that grew there, didn’t he, Zach?”

Lleland had forgotten about Zach for a moment, but he glanced at him now, surprised to see Zach regarding him with a slight frown. It vanished as he looked at Lydia. “I think he was just getting back at us for hiding from him so often!”

“I don’t remember you hiding very often,” Lydia said playfully. “You were quite the student, always eager to please.”

Zach flushed as Hannah entered the room, a large platter of sweetmeats in her hands. She placed it carefully on the table. “There now,” she said, “a small morsel to keep you going.” She picked up the wine and filled Lleland’s cup. “You’re Master Zach’s tutor, I hear.”

“That’s correct,” Lleland replied.

“It’s good to have the children in Civitas. I remember when they were just youngsters, here for the old king’s coronation.” She turned to Lydia. “Remember how excited you were –”

“Thank you, Hannah,” Lydia interrupted. “I think we have all we need.” Hannah nodded and bustled out of the room. “Poor dear,” Lydia said when she was out of earshot, “she’s getting on in years, and sometimes gets a bit confused. She was thinking of our cousins, Bronwyn and Will.”

Lleland laughed. “I was wondering about that. It must be…” – he paused to do a quick calculation – “…nearly twenty-five years since Alfred’s coronation, so even if you had been born, you couldn’t have been more than babes.”

Lydia smiled. “A lady never reveals her age.” She glanced at Zach. “And nor does a gentleman,” she added.

Lleland laughed. “Very well, my lady, keep your secret, although I would hazard you are no more than twenty.” She lifted her eyebrows, and he held up his hands in mock surrender.  “But I’ll say no more!”

“Have you heard from Father?” Lydia asked Zach.

“They arrived at the Manor yesterday. Anna and Max are already there.”

Lydia smiled. “Anna’s invited me to return home with them after Christmas.”

“And are you going?”

“Of course!” Lydia turned to Lleland. “Anna is our aunt. Do you have family close by?”

“My mother and sister both live in Civitas. We’ll spend the feast day together.”

“What about your father?” Lydia asked.

Lleland shot a quick look at Zach before replying. “He died when I was a child.”

“I’m sorry,” Lydia said.

“It was a long time ago.” He paused. “You know, the name Drake is well known in Civitas.” From the corner of his eye, Lleland saw Zach stiffen. “Aaron Drake saved the city once from a terrible monster. Are you related to him?”

“Aaron Drake?” It was Lydia who answered. “He’s our father.”

“The dragon-slayer is your father?”

“Dragon-slayer?” Lydia’s voice was sharp, and she turned to look at Zach, her eyes narrowed.

“Yes,” Zach said. His gaze met Lydia’s. “Remember the stories we heard about Father killing black, er, the black dragon?” He spoke softly, and in the silence that followed, Lleland shifted uncomfortably. Lydia finally leaned back in her seat.

“Of course,” she said. “I was forgetting that’s what they called him.” She looked back at Lleland. “What do you know of dragons?”

“They are …” He was about to say ‘monsters,’ but something held him back. “They are large, winged beasts that breathe fire,” he said instead.

Lydia smiled. “So I’ve heard,” she said.

“You must have seen them, surely? I understand there are some in the Northern Mountains.”

Lydia laughed. “Oh, we see them all the time,” she said.

“You do? They haven’t attacked you?”

“Attacked us? Of course not! Why would they do that?”

“Because they’re hunters.”

Lydia harrumphed. “Really, Master Seaton, you shouldn’t believe everything you hear! Dragons are not cruel monsters, you know!”

Lleland bit his lip and glanced at Zach, who shook his head, but Lydia seemed not to notice. “They are no different from you and me, really,” she said. Lleland swallowed the harsh retort that sprang to his lips.

“Let’s play a game,” Zach said. “Lydia, you always have the best ideas. What do you suggest?”

Lleland glanced at Lydia to see her watching him curiously.

“How about charades?” she said.

Chapter 7

Hannah and Sam were dragged from the kitchen to join in the game, and despite his earlier mood, Lleland found himself enjoying himself as the evening wore on. It wasn’t the game, though, that kept him enthralled, but rather the beautiful woman sitting across from him. He watched Lydia as she acted her roles; and when she sat and watched the others, clapping and laughing, Lleland kept casting glances her way. Her golden eyes reflected the light of the flames, making them sparkle, and to Lleland it seemed that she glowed like an angel. Sometimes her eyes met his, and she smiled. Later, when the game was done, she asked his opinion about a book she was reading, and he could feel the heat from her skin caress his own as they spoke. It was a book of Roman history, and Lleland was surprised at the depth of her knowledge. When the church bells tolled the midnight hour, Lleland felt a sharp pang of disappointment that the evening was drawing to a close.

“Will you return to Civitas after Christmas?” he asked Lydia as Zach rose to take his leave.

“I’ll be traveling with my aunt and uncle.”

“Ah.”

“But I come to the city often. I’m sure we’ll meet again.”

Lleland smiled. “I very much hope so, Mistress,” he said. He stared into her eyes for a moment, resisting the urge to reach out and touch her, then reluctantly turned away and followed Zach through the door.

“We’ll be gone at first light,” Zach told Lleland as they walked through the dark streets. The rain had turned to snow, and large flakes, soft and silent, tumbled through the air to cling to their clothes and melt on the street. “I dare say Lydia will be happy to leave, as she isn’t fond of the city.”

“Oh?”

“She prefers the mountains.” Zach glanced at Lleland. “I heard what she said, but the truth is she seldom ventures into Civitas.”

Lleland nodded, disappointed. Despite her naiveté about dragons, he wanted a chance to know Lydia better. He could not remember when last he had been so fascinated by a woman. In addition to being the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on, she was intelligent, self-assured and amusing, belying her youth. And her strange eyes had depths that demanded exploration. Zach had eyes the same color, Lleland mused, but whereas his were disconcerting, hers were mesmerizing. When he lay on his bed later that night, it was her smiling visage that rose in his mind as he drifted off to sleep.

Lleland left his chambers later than usual the following morning to find the passages a flurry of activity as students got ready to leave for the holidays, but by midmorning the last man had made his departure, and Lleland breathed a sigh of relief as peace and calm descended over the building. It was the eve of Christmastide, and Lleland had promised his mother to deliver some game for the Christmas feast. Removing his Master’s cape, he pulled on some sturdy boots and left the building, bow in hand.

It was a dull day, with low clouds that threatened rain. Within the city the snow from the previous evening had already been churned to brown slush by the passing of many feet. Going through the city gate, Lleland crossed the open countryside and made his way into the forest. His thoughts, however, were not tending towards hunting. Rather, it was the memory of Zach’s sister that rose in his mind, and once again he felt the pang of regret that he would have no opportunity to further his acquaintance with her. He laughed a little under his breath. He was no young lad, falling head over heels in love, but there was something – her beauty, grace and charm, not to mention her intelligence and confidence – that attracted him. The only flaw he had so far detected was her opinion of dragons. He smiled wryly. Of all the woman he’d ever met, she was the one who might actually fulfill his mother’s hopes for his marriage, if only she didn’t live so far away. It surprised him that Anabel still nurtured such a hope. He hadn’t found anyone to marry in his first thirty-five years, so why did she think anything would change? It hadn’t been for lack of interest, however. As a young man, Lleland had been eager for the warmth and comfort of a comely wife, and his eye had fallen on more than one pretty maid. But it never took long before he grew weary of their simpering ways and simple conversation.