The Taming

What's Needed

Realizing what Mardichi needed, Sebastian tugged his tunic from his shoulders and tossed it in the corner. Dropping to the floor, he forced his body into a meditative state despite the pain he knew would arise. Ready to take it on.

Give me strength. He willed, as he always did when he did this.

Drawing a long breath, he let the marks winding his torso move to his shoulders and back. Adjusting as tiny claws erupted, digging through his skin to let shining gold creatures spill from his back, sides and chest. Thumping to the floor and scrambling outside to pour across the meadow embracing the house.

He muttered a prayer under his breath and forced his body still. Swaying under the rending and jerking of the dragons separating from his flesh. As soon as one tore free, his body would attempt to seal the skin in a great effort to heal. But another would tear through that new flesh and raw nerves. It too would drop out and scurry away.

As fast as they emerged, they were intent on their mission. One after another.

Bast's generally gold skin went nearly white as parchment, his eyes increasingly hollow. And breaths hissing out of him. Fighting the pain to keep his body relaxed enough to unleash the little ground-bound dragons. They spilled through the house. Sniffing cautiously. Yellow and green eyes glowing. Long whipping tails flicking in agitation as they searched.

Every corner...every hollow.

And finally headed into the trees to look for any trace of Mardichi's mate.

Bast grunted against the pain of the last one pulling from his body. Tugging the long length of tail free from his back and raking open the skin with the tiny sharp spines. Bast collapsed sideways against the doorframe. Panting weakly.

"You sent them all?" Mardichi crouched before him. Putting a thankful hand to Bast's shoulder as he understood the significance. What it took from his friend to send out the tiny beasts.

Yes. Bast was dizzied and took weak to form unnecessary words.

"Where is she?" Mardichi asked fearfully. Face now normal, his eyes still glinted ruby.

I can't find her. She's not here.

Bast shook his head forlornly. "There's nothing Mardi. Just tracks leaving. Only hers. Drag marks across the dirt say she had the forthright thinking to put on her cape."

Bast paused. "She's left. Apurpose."

He sighed. "And there's this." His eyes skid sideways, to the corner wall next to him. A shining black and gold dragon emerged around the corner. Dragging metal which scraped the floor. Easing past Bast to Mardichi, where it dropped a chunk of gold metal on the floor.

Stepping back and sitting with a thin whip tail flipping side to side behind it. Watching with huge black eyes as Mardichi reached for it. Both he and bast knew what that slender bit of metal signified.

A Paladine circlet.

"Her circlet?" He gasped. "But how-why?"

Mardichi fell back as though he'd been punched. He slapped the floor. "Why would she do that?"

"I don't know."

Bast understood the importance of a man and woman's Paladine Circlet and could fathom no idea why Mardichi's mate would've discarded it.

"Was she Cimmerii?" Mardichi's voice broke. "Did I miss it?"

Bast shook his head adamantly. "My dragons have checked everything. There was no Cimmerii here before today."

"Then they came to get her because she was theirs. Or she found the babe and thought I'd done it and fled."

"Did she fear you?"

"Never that I knew. But she recently saw me changing from the scales and worried about what I was. And if I'd been keeping things from her. She was hurt. Angry."

***

"Would she have done something to Liam?" Bast asked in his usual analytic way. Trying to help Mardichi determine what had happened.

Mardichi's face crumpled and Bast instantly wished he could've taken the brutal words back.

I was trying to figure it out. I meant no harm.

But Bast's fool mouth tended to get in the way of his intentions.

"I'm sorry for saying that, Mardi. I'm a fool. I meant no insult to your mate."

"I know that." Mardichi whispered. Shaking his head bemusedly. "I can't believe she'd ever hurt him. That lad was 'er world! She easily loved him more than she cared for me. We were good together. What happened?"

"Cimmerii." Bast supplied. Dead certain.

"I'll find her. I won't ever stop looking." Mardichi vowed. Anger spurring his conviction. "And she'll pay for leaving me with our dead son, and no answers." He shook his head. "Without explanation!"

His face tightened. "She's going to pay!"

"Don't be hasty, Friend." Bast tried to catch Mardichi's arm, but the redhead already strode past him. Bast was too weak to stop him, just now.

Mardichi paused at the doorway, barely noting his friend's dilapidated state. "Are you well enough to be alone?"

Bast couldn't answer. It chaffed his pride to admit his weakness, but there was no denying his vulnerability after sending out so many dragons. Not all of them have yet returned.

And their scrabbling back under my skin is just as painful as when they dig out. His skin was struggling to heal, between each animal's return into his torso. Making it have to be ripped open anew.

Bast blew a steadying breath, wishing to reassure his friend but unsure what to say.

But Mardichi, even in his fury and anguish, understood the silence for what it was.

"I'll wait for you." He said quietly. "But I must be alone to think. I'll be outside."

Bast nodded in understanding. Knowing Mardichi would guard the door until Bast recuperated enough to make it to WaterRose.

For a much-needed recharge.

And the Knight's Sleep. Hopefully.

Mardichi sat outside. Pulling a pipe from his pocket and lighting it. Puffing on it thoughtfully. He watched the gold, yellow, and black dragons pouring from the trees and dashing through the meadow which embraced the cottage, as they returned. They passed Mardichi in large numbers as they headed back inside.

Mardichi winced when he heard Bast grunting against the pain. And an occasional agonized yell, as the creatures dug their way back into his body.