Arry And Skydancer (64)

      “His dragon only eats fish and leaves.” the girl spurted. “He is a good dragon !” she exclaimed with conviction. “Do not hurt him please?” she added nearly in tears. I smiled at them.

      “We suspected he was a good dragon.” I admitted to them. “But we still need to find Arry and the dragon to understand why they are together.” I explained slowly. “And ask the dragon to fly where villager might not see him.” I added quicker.

      “But you will not take them away?” the girl asked. I looked at her tear streaked face.

      “Not unless they are a danger to or in danger from the villagers.” I returned casually. “But the may need to leave for training for a little while.” I continued. A half smile had formed on her face. “He would be returning as quickly as possible if he happened to leave.” I added. Her smile brightened as I realized how deeply she love this boy.

       “See sis!” the boy exclaimed. “I knew he would help them.” he stated triumphantly.

      “I see things much clearer now.” I returned. “I thank you both for helping.” I continued with a quick bow. “Did you first meet Arry before or after the dragon was first seen?”

      “After.” the boy answered quickly.

      “Dragons always seen when Arry is nearby.” the girl supplied. This was the information proving my thoughts about a human-dragon link being present.

      “Does Arry seem odd?” I asked with false casualness. They stared confused at me. “Does he act much older than his size suggests?” I continued.

      “He told us he was ten.” the boy answered. “A year older than my sister and a year younger than me.” he stated slowly. I could see him thinking hard about my question still pondering events as normal or odd. “He acts about as old as me but cuts and scraps go away in no time at all.” he finally answered. “That is odd?”

      “Not if what I believe brought him here.” I returned. Both children looked at me blankly for a silent moment.

      “But he is a real boy!” the girl protested.

      “That is not what he said sis.” the boy returned softly. “I think he means like the tales of grandad.” he continued quickly. “The elf that lived with a dragon friend.” he explained. “The dragon protected the elf like the elf protected the dragon.”

      “Sounds correct to me.” I answered honestly. “Your friend Arry would be the first human to ever have that special friendship with a dragon.” I explained. Their eyes widened realizing what I said. “It makes him special therefore I must protect both of them very well.” I continued. A slow dumbfounded nod was my only reply from the children. “Now I must hurry to reach Arry so all this can be explained to him.” I concluded before standing.

      I let the ring of silence fall allowing the others to hear the two children giggling as they rushed away from me. I smiled to myself as I moved to reach Sert and Meli as they exited the town. I did not rush as I formulated how to explain that a human child was linked with a dragon whelp. Little thunder squawked loudly before spiralling to land in a nearby tree. This was the only warning we received before the dragon skimmed low enough to brush the tree tops over our head.

      It stalled before flying over the hamlet to the surprise and terror of the villagers we had left behind at the village's edge. Shooting straight up it twisted around to dive over us to skim back along the tree tops heading toward its lair. I watched reviewing the memories of my kestrel of this path seeing the terrain flow under him leading to the cavern entrance it used as a lair.

      “A total wingspan of barely thirty feet and about twenty feet long.” Sert noted.

      “The shape nearly the image of a sea dragon.” Meli stated softly.

      “Scale patterns of a forest dragon suggesting a half breed.” I supplied. “Less than twenty years old making it barely a fledgeling but with wondrous flight prowess.” I continued calmly.

      “But why fly this path when it must stall to avoid the village?” Sert commented.

       “Or why avoid flying over the village at all?” Meli returned dumbfounded. Little Thunder took to the air slowly winging in forward increasing circles waiting for us to follow. I started walking slowly with Sert at my side and Meli behind us in a silent march. My kestrel squawked once more drawing our attention skyward where he circled over an unmoving spot about halfway to the lair. I sent wave of mental scans as we proceeded cautiously forward. The images I received from my bird showed the dragon had landed in a clearing seemingly waiting for us. The Kestrel's eyes could not spy the boy named Arry which suggested he hid nearby or had safely remained at the lair.

      “He is ahead of us waiting.” I remarked quietly. My pace quickened making them rush to stay in step with me. We broke into the clearing marching upon the dragon fearlessly. “You and Arry must stop playing this silly secretive game!” I ordered bluntly. The dragon reared back hissing at me. My hand shot up intending to grapple the sling stone whizzing at me from my left side. With a single step and slash with the flat of his sword, Sert batted the stone to the ground easily. I heard his weapon slide back into its scabbard as he placed himself on my left side to face the attacker.

       “That is no way to treat someone who pulls no blade against an aggressive dragon.” Sert commented calmly. The boy, Arry, slipped from his hiding spot with the sling ready for a second shoot. “If we meant harm, we would have charged in with weapons ready to kill.” he informed the child. “Listen to wisdom of people that could be valued friends and allies.” he added.

       “Your dragon friend's presence in the skies is causing fear for most of the villagers Arry.” I remarked to him. My eyes remained locked on the dragon as I spoke. “I understand your desire to protect the boy but the fear you cause will be answered by violent reprisals against both of you.” I told the dragon. He snorted derisively at me before straightening as the boy moved diagonally to join him. “If you would meet with them showing the benefits of having a local dragon ...” I suggested.

       I waited, with Sert at one side of me and Meli in place on the other side, silently watching the boy and the dragon. Arry sling lowered but held the stone in the cup of the sling ready to be spun and fired. The dragon, that could not resist naming “Skydancer”, relaxed letting its wing puff out to feel the playful breeze blowing through the clearing.

       “Only the other children would understand!” Arry retorted. “The adults would be too busy finding was of using this dragon to scare others!” he screamed. I saw the tears forming in his eyes as his anger slid into sadness. “And we are happy together here!” he added. With sobs wracking his body, the tears poured from his eyes at his admittance of his feeling. He dropped the sling turning to bury his face into the Skydancer's stomach. It placed a clawed hand-like front pawed on the boy's shoulder in a tight embrace. The pads on the tips of the dragon's digits applied pressure without endangering Arry with its razor sharp nail tips.

       “They are not in control of neither you nor that dragon.” I returned calmly. “And he will refuse doing anything that you feel is wrong in your heart.” I stated easily. “Even if you tell him differently.” I continued. “Can you not feel how closely link the two of you truly are Arry?”

       “Sir?” Sert remarked at my left.

       “I can sense a deep bound unlike anything we have seen before.” Meli murmured. “Much more solid than the typical dragon-bond of the other races.” she continued softly. “Nearly the same physical tangibility of the Atlantian dragon linked.”

       “I cannot sense anything in either cases.” Sert admitted. “But they act like siblings to my eyes.” he concluded. The dragon's head lifted to glance at us in curious confusion. I sighed as I allowed the glamoury to slip from my companions for the dragon to see. A small line of fire spurted merrily from Skydancer's mouth.

       “We of Atlantis understand more than any others of your special circumstances.” I stated boldly. The boy turned to look teary-eyed at us. He stiffened as he rubbed his eyes while backing defensively against his dragon partner. I felt the fear rising in the boy at facing a pair of giants melting into the great courage Skydancer held to protect Arry. “They can truly appear scary like your dragon friend does.” I explained slowly. “But we are present as friends and allies to help avoid future problems.”

       “They are giants,” Arry breathed out wide-eyed. “Absolutely colossal!” he exclaimed. I sense the mix of shock and merriment fighting inside him.

       “I must believe we have lost our guise of being humans?” Sert half grumbled.

       “Easier for him to understand since I believe the dragon already knew.” Meli answered. “And I doubt that after befriending a dragon a pair of well spoken giants would frighten the boy.” she commented with a half smile. The boys eyes followed their conversation in silent thought. A million ideas rushed through Arry's and Skydancer's minds bouncing from one to the other as if two parts of the same brain.

       “The villagers are scared but requested Atlantis to alleviate their fears instead of dragon hunters.” I commented casually. “I wonder why they chose that path?” I mused out loud.

      “To make the dragon leave without violence?” Meli suggested.

      “Or simply have the dragon stop showing itself as much?” Sert countered.

      “Both are good possibility showing they wanted peace over violence in this situation.” I commented.

      “How can we believe this?” Arry asked hesitantly. An oddness slipped into his tones with the royal form he now used. I suspect it was the words spoken by the linked mind showing how strong they were linked. “We protect each other no matter what opposes us.” they continued in one voice. The dragon head growled and hissed to punctuate the words they spoke.

       “If I oppose you, you would be beaten to near death already.” I replied. My eyes shifted to twin spinning stars as I grinned barring my teeth at the two. “Your choices are to stop flying where the villagers can see you or meet with them.” I continued slowly. My eyes remained cosmic entities as my toothy grin persisted menacingly. “Being the first dragon-human bonded pair, you are unique and must be protected at all cost.” I explained to them. I ignored their nods of agreement or the mumbled agreements from my companions. “Doubly so since Skydancer is a cross breed dragon of forest and sea types.” I added.

      “How did you know I called him that?” Arry blurted out. I chuckled as my eyes melted back into raptorial amber orbs.

       “Seeing him fly.” I answered between chuckles. “It was the most fitting name for a dragon with such aerial prowess.” I stated easily. The boy finally smiled in earnest and giggled as I returned the glamoury in place on my companions. “Do you require time to decide?”

       “If we are to remain here, it may be best to meet the villagers and introduce ourselves properly.” Arry returned with a little grin. “It is what good neighbours should do.” he added.

       “Very wise decision.” I replied still smiling. I bowed to them deeply followed by Sert and Meli in kind. “I suggest we accompany you on foot with Skydancer joining us by air once we are in place.” I continued casually. “It might give us a chance to warn them before a dragon lands in their midst.” I added. I flashed a mischievous grin at the boy who nodded with an answering grin. We began walking casually walking back toward the village.

       “If they become aggressive, remember you have a pair of Atlantian giants standing with you.” Sert remarked. He and Meli fell at our back while Skydancer took to the air much higher than before to follow us.

      “If Lord Kestrel allows the glamoury to be broken once more.” Meli reprimanded him.

      “I believe if they need something to fear, I can provide that easily for them.” I returned. Sert and Meli missed a step at my words. I shrugged. “Or order Sert to cause a diversion?” I suggested with a chuckle. While Sert joined in my mirthful chuckle, Meli gasped as her feet faltered a second time before falling into an old litany. Arry glanced back at her as she repeated the words “No naked-time.” before turning a questioning eyes at me. “It is a childish joke between them.”

       “From the first moment she meet me.” Sert commented. Meli continued her litany but at least remained marching with us instead of curling into a rocking ball on the ground. I would not admit to this boy nor to my two companions that in many cases Sert's use of sudden nakedness successfully avoided potential violence upon us. Such an admittance on my part would constantly have Sertian running around naked at the smallest hint of requiring a diversion. A situation would force me to carry a feinted Meli more often than is desired. Cole's presence would only cause the situation worse if he was playing his Flower role with a feigned feinting session.  The walk felt short even when including the march through the village street to the harbour. I selected this place since it was the only open space Skydancer could land safely without causing damage. The villagers had fallen into a loose procession behind us including the children who fought hard to be closest to us. We stopped as Sert and Meli placed themselves to keep the crowd at bay.

      “Elder!” I exclaimed. The old man stepped from the crowd slowly. I waved him over which made him cautiously advance toward me and the boy. I could feel his confusion about returning so quickly with just a boy in tow. “This is Arry!” I announced to the gathering.

      “And what does a child have to do with the dragon you were suppose to be hunting?” the headsman grumbled at me. I nodded to Arry making the boy smile broadly before shouting “Come Skydancer!” once. The dragon rocketed over the splattered huts of the village causing shouts and cowering squeals from the adults. The children cheered as the looked up unafraid of Skydancer. He stalled in the air about us as it spun and twisted on invisible strings to land facing the crowd as lightly as a butterfly.

      “And this is Skydancer.” I continued as if the elder had not spoken. “A dragon fully bonded body, mind, and soul with this boy.” I explained. The old man's eyes widened as his jaw dropped hanging limply from his face. “It's diet comprises of fish and other seafood, but also includes leaves and the occasional mineral.” I told him. “From what I have noticed.” I added quietly.

      “Neither of us mean harm to your village.” Arry called out to them. “He simply follows in the air to watch over me.” he explained loudly. “Would it not be beneficial to have a dragon watching our borders?”

      The elder stared blankly at the boy. I read from his mind that he heard and understood all the words we had spoken. His silence stemmed from his want to protect his village without bearing the burden of having a dragon in residence. My anger was about to be released at this old man when I spotted the line of smoke rising from one of the far huts. With a mental whistle, little thunder winged to the smoke but he was not alone or as fast as Skydancer. The dragon launched itself skyward with a single stroke of its wings rising high above us. With a secondary snap of his wings, Skydancer covered the distant in a blink of an eye to circle the column of smoke. The thunderous roar sounded through the air followed by Arry screaming a warning to all.

      “Fire!” the boy bellowed at the villagers. Skydancer zipped back over our heads to swoop down to the water. “Fire!” Arry screamed a second time as the villagers stared blankly at each other. He pointed toward the growing line of smoke that my kestrel had finally reached. The images from my bird's eyes confirmed Arry's fire claim.