Dragon Tamer - Book 1

Chapter 47

Marcie stared down at the bottle she held in her hands.

It still held a little of the liquid her father once lived on.

She had thought no longer. And yet here it was.

She felt anger rise up and snuff out the growing sadness.

She turned and threw the bottle against the wall, glass exploded on the stonework and tinkled to the floor. She left it there and marched out of the house.

Late winter was the time her mother had died, of a chill she had never recovered from. Even Dafne had been unable to save her.

Marcie should have known it would be too much for her father to take. But she had been distracted, not paying attention when she should have. She should not be surprised but she had held out hope that he would give it up for good. Silly of her. To hope.

She walked into the village, her anger abated a little and her feet began to feel heavy, as if she were weighed down by an invisible burden.

The Tavern steps seemed steeper, she opened the door and looked around.

Jin, Aldren and Sebastian sat at their usual table, a few other patrons sat with them, Callia was sweeping in the corner, humming quietly to herself, and the smell of Luce's famous soup wafted from the kitchen, where she no doubt laboured with little Myriam held against her in a sling.

Marcie saw none of this, her eyes went straight to the bar where her father was slumped in one of the stools, his back held up by one of the support columns for the building.

She stepped softly up to the hunched figure. The Barman spotted her, his eyes filled with sympathy before he averted them. Junca held an empty tankard in his hand, Marcie felt her temper rise again.

"Father" she said softly,

He did not move.

"Father" she said louder, placing her hand on his shoulder and shaking gently.

The man jerked up, he looked at her, then through her. He banged his tankard on the bar,

"Barman, another!" he rasped,

The Barman glanced at Marcie, meeting her eyes quickly before looking down and shaking his head.

"Wha, come on!" Junca said, lifting the tankard to his lips, finding it empty he let it fall to the floor in disgust, he made to get up,

"Now see ere-" he started to say before he stumbled, grabbing the bar as his crippled leg tried and failed to support his weight.

Marcie reached out and grabbed him under the arms to stop him from falling, she pulled him back up gently but he yanked himself away from her with a "Ge off"

He put his back to the bar to hold himself up and glared at Marcie, as much as he could, his eyes were bloodshot and he did not appear to be able to focus on her,

"You leave me alone ya wench" he spat,

Marcie swallowed the tears that were gathering,

"Father-" she started to say,

"No no no!" her father said, shaking his head from side to side, "Go away, haunting wench, always near, always watching, watching with those freak eyes, why wont you leave me alone!"

Marcie stepped forward, reaching out. Her father knocked her hand away then drew back his fist and landed a strike across her cheek that threw her to the floor, causing her vision to double. Dara felt the blow through her and reeled himself, the pain doubled as the Dragon felt it also and then anger rose up as Dara tried to find the source of her hurt and hurt them back.