Dragon Tamer - Book 1

Chapter 49

Marcie looked up; what felt like hours later and saw Dafne's house through the trees.

It seemed to swim in front of her and she clutched the neck of the horse tighter to steady herself.

Svetatessa saw that they were almost there and urged the horses faster, Sebastian moaned pitifully. Kesuvanna glanced at him and then spat on the floor. He said something to Svetatessa who nodded and said something back, equally as grim.

She turned to Marcie and said,

"My part'etar says we should have left the him behind" she jerked her head at Sebastian,

"He is the reason the wolves were able to take us by surprise. He attacked us"

Marcie was tired, yet she gathered the meaning of the Daygons words.

"He attacked you? That does not sound like him"

"He stalked us in the forest. We waited for him to reveal himself when the wolves made their presence known, we were separated in the struggle and our Tri'calla was injured!' She said the last bit with such anguish that Marcie winced for her.

"Sebastian had no weapon. He could not have hurt you" she said,

Svetatessa cut her hand through the air,

"He stalked us" she said, "It was clear he meant harm"

Marcie did not have the energy to argue so she just steered the horse through the remaining trees.

Dafne came running out as they neared, Marcie froze when she saw her but her eyes were no longer black as night and she appeared sane again.

"Get em inside quick!" she hissed,

The Daygon complied, carefully lifting their prince off the horse and carrying him as gently as they could with one of them injured. Leaving Sebastian.

Dafne reached up and grabbed Marcie's face in her hands. Marcie struggled to focus, her eyes kept wanting to close,

"Now Marcie ya hearin me?" she said, angling her face down so as to look her in the eye, "I need ya to do one more thing fer me yeah? Need ya to bring in yer friend there, alright?"

Marcie desperately wanted to curl up somewhere warm and sleep, but Dara sent her another spike of energy that seemed to shoot up her spine and ease her aches and pains. She pulled herself up and nodded at Dafne who grunted, satisfied.

She went to Sebastian and after deliberating on how to carry him; grabbed his arms and, putting her shoulder under his stomach, lifted him off the horse slowly. His weight almost made her stagger and her shoulder instantly became wet with blood and other stuff. She gritted her teeth and, stepped carefully forward until she got through Dafne's front door.

In the main treatment room, the usual single bed was replaced by two with wooden screens separating them, probably best. Small tables surrounded the beds piled with bandages, sheets and towels.

Dafne steadied Sebastian's head while Marcie lowered his battered body onto the bed not taken up with royalty.

The Daygon knelt by their princes bed, they looked to Dafne with little hope in their eyes.

"Marcie, start changin bandages" she ordered and Marcie began to take the makeshift strips off Sebastian's wounds, while Dafne started on the prince.

Once they're terrible wounds were uncovered Dafne marched between the two beds, muttering to herself. Marcie heard her say "Damn wolves" at least once.

When she had observed enough she whipped a selection of tools, including a needle and thread, from the pockets of her apron and set to work on the Prince. First she poured some liquid from a small vial onto her finger and dabbed it onto the princes tongue, almost instantly his face slackened and his eyes fell closed, his body seemed to relax. She instructed Svetatessa to keep her fingers on his neck and tell her if his breathing stopped.

Marcie understood why Dafne treated the Prince first, as she held towels to Sebastian's abdomen, hoping he did not fall apart at the seams. The prince was more important but she did not know him; presumably he had a father, who ruled until he was finished and then his son would takeover. Maybe he had some brothers to take over in his stead.

She thought of Jin and his gently teasing of Sebastian and Aldren who treated him more as a friend than a servant. She whispered comfort to him through his pain while she waited for Dafne.

When she had finished patching the Prince Dafne came to Sebastian, she held Marcie's glare without shame,

"Prioritises girly, I is only one woman, always prioritisin" she said,

As she worked she talked,

"Patchin up is easy. Its the bleedin that'll do em in, need to replace their blood emselves, but they gotta want to. Daygon are built strong, this en" - she indicated Sebastian "this en I dunno. He might make it, but it be by the skin of is teeth. Thought you didn't like im anyhow" she added,

Marcie looked at Sebastian's sleeping face,

"Like has nothing to do with it" she said,

Dafne grunted.

With both patients patched up, Dafne bustled down to her cellar and returned with bottles of herbs and powders.

She set Marcie making a paste, with strict instructions, which she then smeared on the wounds and mixed a concoction herself which should put the two in a deep sleep for several hours to aid the healing.

She sat down, finally, with a sigh. She looked over at Marcie. The girl was watching the outsiders face, except her eyes kept drifting almost shut before she roused herself time and time again, the Dragon's power the only reason she was upright.

Dafne crossed to the girl and took her gently but firmly by the arm,

"Come on en girly, ya need ta sleep" she said softly,

"What bout them" Marcie said, leaning her head towards the Daygon.

"They can stay awake for a bloody long time girl, specially where their prince is concerned" Dafne told her.

She made a small sound, then said,

"Bloody Daygon'

Dafne smiled.

She led Marcie to her own bed, she nearly collapsed onto it, then groaned and curled up. She was still in her blood stained and muddy furs, Dafne encouraged her to sit up and helped her undress,

"Sorry Dafne" she slurred, as Dafne bundled the furs up to wash, "Im just...so tired....why do I feel so...tired?"

The old Witch could see the girls Dragon Brand, it had grown. Soon it would reach her collar bone. The bond forging ever deeper.

"Your body is still adaptin girl, you is still young, ya will learn ya limits soon enough, an grow beyond em" she said,

Marcie responded with a quiet snore, she had rolled over, her back to Dafne. On her back were scratches over her shoulder bones; scratches that had once been deep now resembled only surface wounds, by morning they would be more or than faint scars.

Dafne covered the beloved child in blankets and left the room to see to her other patients.