Dragon Tamer - Book 1

Chapter 57

Marcie left the Daygon to their quiet meditation as the sun fully broke the treeline and sought out Breen at his house.

She found him round the back, sitting on a stool fletching arrows.

He looked up at her as she approached and smiled sleepily, his eyes were shadowed with lack of sleep, his hands clumsy.

"You look terrible" she commented,

Breen looked wounded, "Who me? Never" he sighed and placed a finished arrow next to him then moved onto the next one,

"I find I am unable to sleep with so many strangers in my home"

Marcie nodded then asked, "How is he?"

Breen shrugged, then sighed again,

"Justyna says no more than 8 weeks but no less than 6 and he will be fit to travel. She would have him stay longer but the tall one is intent they leave with the traders. She is having him walk up an down the stairs at all times of the day an night" he grimaced, "Still, reminded me I need to replace the third step from the bottom, creaks like anything"

"6 to 8 weeks" Marcie mused, "How do you feel about that?"

Breen looked at her closely, eyes narrowed then flicked his hand holding a half finished arrow in a dismissive gesture, "Is what it is" then he fell silent,

Marcie searched for a topic of conversation,

"Speaking of the traders. When will the welcoming party set out?"

Breen paused his fletching and looked up at the weak morning sun,

"Three days from now at the dead willow?"

"That early?"

"Your talk of wolves got me concerned, if we meet them half way then we can protect them if need be. If the wolves are close to the village then they might need us"

Marcie nodded, "Extra supplies?"

"Definetly" Breen paused, then sighed again and put an arrow down, turning to look her full in the face he studied her and said seriously,

"Marcie...I do not know if it is a good idea if you come this year"

"What?" Marcie said, surprised, "Why?"

Breen shifted uncomfortably, "There have been...rumours" he said,

"Rumours?"

"Just village talk, about your behaviour recently"

"What is so strange about my behaviour?" she asked suspiciously,

Breen spread his hands in a placating and defensive position,

"Look, I have noticed it also. You are distant, you are in the forest more often than you are not, you are quick to anger and have the strangest friends" he said quickly,

"An argument could be made that you are talking about yourself " she said hotly, folding her arms,

Breen nodded his head slowly, "Well...yes, but I am not an unmarried half outsider who would rather hunt than sew" he paused, "Rumours abound of you being spotted in the presence of unnatural creatures of the forest, and demonstrating strange...magics" he finished quietly.

Marcie's blood ran cold.

Had she been discovered? Had Dara been seen? She had been so careful.

"Do you believe these...rumours?" she asked faintly, when she had collected herself,

Breen looked her in the eye for a long moment in which Marcie forgot to breath. Then he said slowly, "You are my favourite cousin and...possibly my only friend, Noting will change that"

Marcie released her breath. It was not the same as saying no, but she would take it.

Breen rose from the stool and stretched, he went over and pulled her into a brisk hug, then pulled back and holding her at arms length, stared her full in the face,

"Maybe you should sick this one out this year Marcie, spend some time with mother and the baby until people forget"

Marcie laughed sadly, "People will never forget what I am" she pointed at her eyes, "Not when they have a constant reminder"

"Marcie please" he pleaded gently, "The men will be tense enough with the threat of wolves, you would only make it worse"

Marcie stepped back out of his reach,

"That is exactly why I must go, who has killed more wolves than me?" she asked him,

He closed his eyes and rubbed at the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and thumb, then, looking up at the sky, said, "Do what you want, as you always do, just try and..." he left the rest unsaid but Marcie heard it loud and clear.

Keep your head down and do nothing to raise suspicion.