Lohikäärme: The Dragon's Descent (Revised)

Chapter III - Purple Eyes and Yellow Hair

Chapter III - Purple Eyes and Yellow Hair

"It's raining! We've got to find a place to lodge."

KRAG! Lightning crashed against the night sky as the rain poured down. I could feel the physicker's arms trembling on either side of my torso. My hood drooped in front of my face so I couldn't see where we were going. But surely, the village was abandoned. Nobody reacted when we stormed in and looked for a place to stay. The physicker must have known.

But where was everybody? There were houses, stores, stables, all rickety and rusty. Why would they desert such village?

"Over there." Wheezing, he pulled on Prancer's reins and commanded him to approach a shack.

I jumped down from Prancer, my legs buckling as I landed on the ground, and looked around. The place was too dark to see anything. For all we knew, there could be monsters in there. Demons lurking in the dark. And if it wasn't the monsters that would kill us in our sleep, it'd be the cold. Water seeped through the roof and dripped on mud puddles on the ground. We're gonna die tonight, I could tell. We could've lodged in an inn or even in the stables where we could find a decent roof and hay to lie our backs on, at least. Nevertheless, I did as I was told. I led Prancer to the inn opposite the shack and tied his reins to a wooden post. After that, I went back to the shack and saw the shaking physicker tidying the place.

We sat in the dark for hours, but sleep would not come to me. The physicker's snores and wheezes echoed in the dark as he slept with his eyes open like he was watching me. Sleep. Sleep. I need to sleep. I was so exhausted, so sleepy, but I could not find sleep now that we had time to rest. Life was so cruel.

"I...I think I should just check the place," I whispered to myself. It would give me peace and assurance, maybe.

One step at a time. One step, then another, and another, and another... Then something creaked from below. Carefully, I continued walking and—

Crash! Swoosh! And the next thing I knew, something sharp touched my neck, poking it till cold liquid trickled down my skin. I couldn't see a face, but I was sure someone was ready to kill me with one lunge.

"How did ya find me?"

"Find you?" I echoed in a gasp. I wasn't looking for her. Who was this girl? What did she know about me? About us travelling?

"Aye," answered the girl. "I know who ya're. Ya're 'ere for the li'l bounty. But how did ya know I'd be in a shack when I knew well that this was the last spot anyone would think to look." She wrapped a warm arm around my neck, the thorned stick tickling my sweating neck. "Li'l girl like you shouldn't soak her fingers in blood. Ya're too innocent, too pure for this." Her voice sounded so hoarse, like she hadn't drunk any liquid for days. "But it's too late for that, ain't it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Child?"

Her arms grew hotter, glowing in the dark. "Who is he?" asked the girl.

"He's my..." I mustn't tell her he was a physicker, or else she'd ask if I was sick and...

Hotter and hotter, her arms nearly burned my neck and shoulders. "Tell me who he is!"

"H-H-He's my...my grandfather. Please don't hurt him."

Too hot! I pulled away from her and wrapped my cool arms around me.