The Dragon' Son (4 page)

The gem twinkled brightly, and beautiful colors danced around the room. Reds, blues, and greens flashed on the walls and ceiling, jumping, shaking, and twinkling every time Keegan moved. It was brilliant and dazzling.

“Walneff told me that it was a dragon stone,” Barden said. “It is a very rare jewel.”

Keegan’s mother smiled at her husband and looked around the room with a sigh. “Just like the sayings of old,” she said quietly then stood and looked at her daughter. “Well then, Alia, be a kind lass and help your mother clean the dishes,” she said as she picked up a few wooden bowls and started off to the washtub. Alia glanced once more at Keegan’s ring then followed her mother.

Keegan gazed carefully at his ring. It was beautiful, so full of glory and mystery, just like a dragon. It was the most wonderful gift he had ever received.

“It is too big for you to wear now so I also brought you this.” Keegan’s father laid a silver chain on the table in front of him.

Keegan smiled and placed the ring on the chain then slipped it over his neck. He ran around the table and wrapped his arms around his father’s neck. “Oh, thank you, Father,” he said. “It is the best gift ever!”

His father embraced him tightly. “I’m just glad that you like it, Son,” he whispered.

Keegan then turned to Braidden with a bashful face. “I like your gift also, Braidden. I shall be using it a lot,” he said, hoping that Braidden would not be offended that he liked Father's gift better.

Braidden waved his hand with a smile. “Don’t speak in such an apologetic way, Keegan. Father’s gift does outshine mine, and I know that you will use the knife plenty.” He ran his fingers through Keegan’s shaggy, brown hair and roughed it up.

“Hey!” Keegan wrapped his arm around his brother’s neck and pulled him to the floor where the two of them began to wrestle.

After a moment, Keegan’s mother came into the room with Alia at her side. “Come now, off to bed with the lot of you,” she said as she placed her hands on her hips. The boys got up off the earthen floor and ran to the other room while Alia quietly pranced after them. Keegan's father laughed and called out, “Good night, children. Sleep well!”

The words “Sleep well” filled the small house as all settled down for a peaceful night.

Chapter 2: Under Attack

Keegan brought an armload of firewood into the family dining area and dropped it onto the floor. He began placing the wood in a nice, orderly fashion by the fire with one hand while his other hand fingered his new ring that lay against his chest.

He smiled as he remembered the expressions of awe on the other boys’ faces when he had shown them his ring that morning. Some of them had given him some fine trinkets just so they could hold it or touch it. Saul had offered to polish it for him twice a week. Bart, Torry’s little brother, had given him a sling and a single bear’s tooth so he could hold it twice. However, Keegan had allowed Torry to hold his ring without any charge. Torry was Keegan’s best friend. He held a few embarrassing things over Keegan’s head, and he had helped Keegan get out of many a predicament. The least Keegan could do was let Torry hold his ring free of charge.

As he thought, he soon began to feel like he was the morning meal boiling in the pot over the fire. He finished stacking the wood then hurried back outside into the cool morning air. When he was outside, Keegan noticed Braidden making his way toward the house with an armload of wood. He was not by himself, however. A young, lovely girl was walking with him.

It was Eloria, Braidden’s “sweetheart” as some of the others put it. She was Brainna’s eldest sister, as well as the prettiest of the five sisters in the Teldor house. She had long, silky black hair that had beautiful red waves when the sun touched them. Her eyes were a deep, glittering brown, and she was kind and joyful, not to mention graceful, in all that she did. Nearly every lad in the village Braidden’s age had his eye on Eloria, but it seemed that Braidden had captured Eloria’s attention, which made Keegan proud in a way. It gave him a foothold among many of the other boys and gave him plenty of bragging rights about his brother. However, the silly “love business” had never enthralled Keegan, and he rolled his eyes as he slowly sauntered toward his brother and Eloria, mischievous plots running through his head.

“Thank you for carrying the wood for me, Braidden,” Eloria said in her normal, sweet tone of voice. “It was very kind of you to help my sisters and me.”

“It is the least that I can do, Eloria. I am glad to help,” Braidden replied with a shy and kind smile on his face. “And I do hope that your father begins to feel well soon.”

“Thank you. I’m sure he will. His wound is already healing very quickly,” Eloria said, inclining her head slightly. “Thank you for your help.” She turned and skipped off toward her family hut with her dark, wavy locks bouncing freely behind her as she went.

Braidden’s gaze followed her for a moment, and then he turned and was startled to find Keegan standing right in front of him. “Oh. Hello, Keegan. I certainly don’t have to look down at you anymore. We are almost face to face now,” Braidden said with a wiry grin spreading across his face.

“I already gathered wood for the fire,” Keegan pointed at the wood in his brother’s arms, “so you might as well take the rest of that to Eloria and tell her that it was the ‘least you could do’,” Keegan teased. “Or perhaps you would just dump the load in my arms and then trot off to see how else you could help Raven Head and her sisters before another lad comes along and tries to sweep her off her feet. I doubt anyone could do such a thing, however. You already have her too high in your arms for another lad to reach, and she has got her feathers preened and set for you.” Keegan grinned as he watched Braidden’s cheeks flush bright red. “Say, you do look good in that color!” Keegan exclaimed with an ever-widening grin.

Braidden dropped his bundle of wood and lunged for Keegan. Keegan dodged him and darted to the side then faced Braidden with a grin, his blue eyes twinkling with mischief.

“You see too much and talk too much,” Braidden said, a grin growing on his face.

“And you always tell me that,” Keegan said, “but, really, I have never seen you turn such a shade of red. Do girls often have that effect on a lad?”

Braidden took a swing at Keegan, and Keegan dodged the hook skillfully and skipped to the side.

“Just you wait, little brother. Your turn will come,” Braidden said as he shifted his weight on his toes and tightened his arm muscles.

Keegan’s grin grew larger, and he shook his head with a chuckle. “You often tell me so. You have always made such predictions, and often they come to pass, but this one,” Keegan paused as he and Braidden stared at each other, “I don’t believe this one will come to pass. Girls are just giddy. They annoy me!”

“And they always will, just as it annoys you every time I down you when we wrestle,” Braidden said as he lunged forward with an outstretched arm.

Keegan wrapped his arms around his brother’s chest as Braidden wrapped his arm around Keegan’s neck. Keegan pushed against Braidden with all of his might but to little avail. Braidden’s grip tightened around Keegan, and he pulled up on Keegan's head, making the world around Keegan buzz frantically. Braidden then quickly pushed down on Keegan's shoulders and back and wrapped his ankle behind his calf, causing Keegan’s knees to buckle and bring him to the ground instantly. He pulled Braidden to the ground as he fell, and both boys rolled around in the dirty street.

They wrestled each other on the ground until Alia came to the door of the hut. “Keegan, Braidden, time to eat, you silly boys,” she called. “You had better not leave that wood there in the road. Someone might trip upon it,” she added, trying to sound very grown up.

Both boys unlocked each other instantly and scooped up some wood before they sprinted for the hut. They both tried to fit into the door at the same time, but Braidden’s bundle of wood pushed against Keegan’s shoulder, jamming him against the door post, and Keegan’s wood jabbed Braidden in the ribs, making him groan. Braidden twisted himself and let Keegan through the door first. They placed the wood near the fire, then each took his own place to eat.

Their father walked in at that moment and smiled to see his small family. He took notice of the large pile of wood near the fire.

“Are our boys extra hungry and want more cooked or do they just wish for a large fire?” he asked with that familiar twinkle in his eye.

“Keegan seems to have taken over most of my old chores. I’m not used to him doing it and completing it so quickly,” Braidden explained, ruffling Keegan’s hair.

“Well, someone had to do your chores while you were gone with Father, and if I didn’t bring the wood for the fire and do other chores, then I didn’t eat,” Keegan said as he eyed the porridge that his mother dipped into individual bowls.

“Very good. Then, Braidden, you can help me in the field today while Keegan does the chores. I will need your help,” his father said as he sat down. “And when you’re done with the chores, Keegan, you also will come and help.”

“Yes, Father,” replied both boys.

“That is if the two of them don’t get stuck in the door again,” Alia giggled.

Their mother placed their bowls in front of them and sat down with a smile on her face.

“Oh, it is good to be home,” their father said with a contented smile as he took his wife’s hand and squeezed it.

Keegan smiled, too, as he thought how good it was to have father and Braidden home.

Keegan wiped the sweat from his brow and looked around. He had finished his chores early and gone out to help his father and Braidden work the field. He was most pleased to see that it was half finished now. He was glad to work with his father, and he had fun throwing dirt clots at Braidden, but farming was back breaking work. He would rather go hunting with his father or tend to livestock with Braidden rather than farm.

Keegan looked at the sky then took note of his shadow on the ground and realized that it was nearly time for the evening meal. He saw that many of the farmers had already stopped working their fields and were on their way to the village. He watched as his father looked at the sky and then his shadow on the ground also before picking up a few tools.

“Braidden, Keegan. Let us stop for the day and go back to the village. Pick up the tools and bring them with you,” Keegan’s father ordered as he began walking toward the village. The boys quickly scooped up the remaining tools and followed him. He occasionally looked back at Keegan and Braidden to make sure that they were getting along as he walked ahead of them.

Keegan studied his father’s gait and tried to mimic it. His father had a long, strong stride, which Keegan liked very much. It seemed more manly and intimidating than his own stride. He walked on his toes more than his actual foot, and that did not make him feel very manly.

“Stop trying to mimic Father,” Braidden whispered at Keegan, “You walk like grandfather did, and there is no shame in that. It is never shameful being who you are and were meant to be. Grandfather used to tell me that plenty.” He and Keegan exchanged smiles and Braidden put his arm around Keegan’s shoulders with a slight squeeze.

Keegan was happy that he had a brother like Braidden. Braidden never let Keegan be anyone but himself. He said it was never shameful in being who you are and were meant to be, and he made sure Keegan heard that every week. It was Braidden’s favorite quote of Grandfather's. It was one of Keegan's favorites, too.

As they neared the village, Keegan saw a man running toward them from the western fields. He waved his arms weakly, and his running pace was slow and dragging. His posture was slumped, and his right arm was drawn in close to his rib cage.

“Wait!” he cried faintly. He waved his arms again then staggered and fell to the ground.

The sight startled Keegan and made his stomach do a flip and tie itself into knots. He froze. A terrible, unexplained feeling crept over him. Barden let out a warning yell that boomed through the still air to the other men. He then dropped his tools to the ground and sprinted off toward the fallen man. Keegan forced his legs to move as he and Braidden also dropped their tools and followed their father with other men trailing behind them.

Keegan did not know what he would see when they reached the man, but he had a feeling that it was not going to be good. He really didn't want to follow and see, but he did not want to be thought a coward among the men.