Fate of Dragons

Chapter Two

At least it was warmer the farther they went down the mountain. The little girl, Astrid, hadn't been wearing a cloak when she and her mother had tried to make their escape. Derol had given her his wool sweater, and when they rode on Daisy, he wrapped his cloak around her as she sat in front of him so they could share warmth. At this moment, Astrid's tiny form rested against his chest, arms curled under her chin in slumber.

Astrid was four years old, she'd proudly told him when she'd awoken from her injuries and taken stock of Derol. Of course, she recognized him from town, and Derol vaguely remembered her family, one of Lana Amie's many grandchildren. Each time that he thought of someone back in Enval, he bit his lip and tried not to think about what could be happening there.

They kept to the forest, but occasionally Derol would leave Astrid with Daisy and sneak through the trees to the road, just to be sure they were still headed in the right direction. He'd never been so far from Enval before. He hadn't had to leave, always comfortable on his farm and able to grow or craft most anything he needed.

"Are we there yet?" Astrid asked, raising her head and rubbing her eyes.

"Not yet. I think we may be nearing a town. I've seen more people on the road."

And more cabins to avoid. Derol knew that at some point he would have to enter the town and stand in plain sight of others, but for now he followed his instincts and let the forest conceal them. He would have to be sure the other towns weren't taken over, too.

As dusk fell, Derol breathed a sigh of relief when they approached a small village beside a river. There was no sign of the invaders and their guards like in Enval. Derol, on foot, led Daisy out of the trees and onto the road, which passed between the fields of two farms before curving to meet the river and pass over a bridge into the town.

It was almost as small as Enval, but much flatter. Derol glanced up the road behind them to the looming mountains that had always been his home. Though they had traveled almost three full days, the mountains still filled his view, as if guarding over this land.

The town's main inn lay in the center of town, among other larger buildings that Derol took to be centers of government and trade, just like in Enval. He breathed easier knowing that, despite its visual differences from his familiar mountain town, most things were the same.

Derol secured them a room with some of the coin he'd had in his pouch and settled Astrid in on the bed. She bounced and kicked, stretching her limbs after spending most of the day on a horse.

"Stay here," he said. "I have to see about sending a message. I'll come back and get you for dinner."

The innkeeper at the desk slid him a piece of paper and pencil across the counter. "Where is the message going?" he asked.

"To Areth," said Derol.

The innkeeper's eyes widened. "It will take some time to get there," he said.

"How long?"

"At least twenty days. Our messenger goes once every month. Possibly less if we have a traveler going to the dragon outpost in Mirella, then we see if he can take the messages."