A Dragon's Bond

Chapter Twenty Five - The Sickness

     The sounds of our busy world filled the background, the smells of the beginning of fall wafting in, leaves were beginning to change and the morning had a slight chill to it. The cold air tugging at my skin exposed from under the blanket, causing me to roll over and sink back into the warmth of Eulay and our bed. I wrapped my arms around Eulay and she let out a small sigh. As we lay there I was pleasantly surprised at how warm she was, her body warming the bed and covers all around her.

     I suddenly became fully aware of the warmth of her body, my mind suddenly snapping my full attention to her temperature. She was warm, really warm. I shook her gently, causing her to stir slightly in bed, pulling her from sleep's embrace.

"Hey Eulay, you're pretty warm. Do you feel alright?"

     She rolled to her back and turned her head to face me, smiling at my face as the sleep left her mind.

"I feel fine, a little warm, but overall I am alright."

     She rolled to her side again to embrace me and I saw a festering red cut on her arm, the skin around it hot and angry. The wound was only a few inches long and didn't appear to be very deep, but it was clearly infected. I wonder how I missed that cut last night.

"You have a cut on your arm, we should take you to the infirmary to get in checked out."

     She nodded before rolling back over into bed. It's best to let her rest, so I got up to begin cooking breakfast. As I made it over to the destroyed portion of our room, Draioct and Aisling came walking into the room. Their cheery morning smiles gleaming in the rising sunlight.

"Aisling. Eulay has a cut on her arm that is becoming infected, would you go give it a second look for me? I want to make sure that it doesn't get worse."

"Certainly. I will go check on her now."

     Draioct continued his walk over to me while Aisling turned and headed over to Eulay. The sight of Draioct in human form still new to me and caused me to double take him as he walked. The rock had destroyed most of the far side of our room, which included where we would typically all cook. We would have to go and eat with the men, I would just have to bring something back for Eulay and Aisling.

     We made our way out of the bottom of the castle, it was the first time that I used the stairs. Every other time we just flew down, walking seemed like an old dead technology now. Men and woman bumped about busily as they completed their work for the day, repairing buildings or heading to training. Our morning was considered a late start when compared to the soldiers who woke before the sun. A worry for Eulay's health was starting to creep into the back of my mind, the wound making her mortal for the first time. She had always been so fierce, that to me she seemed invincible and someone I didn't have to worry about, this new view less pleasant, I had to make sure she got better.

"Don't worry brother, she will overcome this challenge just as she has all others."

     He patted me on the back as he spoke, I could physically feel some of the tension that had been building, fall off and my body relaxed.

"Let get something to eat then, start some training for our scout mission."

     I nodded and we began bumping our way through the streets to the chow hall, soldiers here and there extending the common "Good morning Commander". The greeting repeated so many time I remembered why we typically flew everywhere.

     Within the hour we sat at a large table surrounded by the forces, everyone happily eating away vigorously at their breakfast. The smells of the food filling the air, the bacon perfectly cooked, and the potatoes a perfect match. The men chatted happily and their voices filled their air, no one paying any attention to the man glued to my hip, Draioct in his new form. We happily finished our breakfast, sucking down the last of my water before leaving to make our way to the scout training.