Dragon Tamer - Book 1

Chapter 16

Marcie was getting sick of waking up confused as to where she was and in whose company, she was also sick of feeling weak and vulnerable. Her body felt heavy and she had trouble opening her eyes so she kept them closed and used her other senses to tell her what was going on. 

First she smelled what seemed to be meat cooking, she presumed it was a dream until it made her stomach rumble, beyond the smell of food was the smell of wood and stone. She was home.

But how? A moment ago she had been in the cave with the two dragons, now she was here? It was not possible.

She sought through her confused memories, the last thing she remembered was the indescribable pain of her chest and the peculiar sensations that followed, she still felt a small bit of pain as though a knife point was being pushed into the skin over her heart. That was not all the pain she felt, her whole body ached like she had a fever but she did not feel hot or clammy, but almost as though she had been chopping wood for too long and then gone for a long walk, a deep ache as though her muscles had been overworked.

She became aware of hushed voices and paused her assessment of her condition to listen,

"Fever gone down, girly should be awakin soon"

"She'll be well?"

"Mayhap, jus gonna hav to see ain't ya"

"Can you take a guess"

A short laugh, "Hah, I ain't one for guessin...but I says she gonna live, too damn stubborn to die"

Marcie managed a smile, she knew that voice.

"Witch! She wakens!"

"Call me witch one more time boy an ill see yer unable t'use yer manhood for nothin but pissin!"

Marcie laughed, which came out as a rough and weak sound,

"You know she hates being called that Merrick" she whispered, finally opening her eyes.

Merrick's handsome face was the first she saw, he flushed with happiness at her revival, beyond him she saw Luce sitting heavily on a chair at the end of her bed her hands resting sportively on her large belly, and Dafne was at the hearth stirring a large cauldron of some kind of clear liquid while strips of meat hung roasting over it on a spit. She quickly dropped the ladle and bustled over to Marcie's side, knocking Merrick out the way she seized Marcie's jaw with one hand while the other carefully lifted her eyelids and checked her pupils,

"Damn girl" she said in a quite voice that told how serious Marcie's condition had been, "almost thought you gone for a bit"

"Goddess be praised so did we all" Luce breathed coming to stand beside Dafne, ignoring the glares the older woman gave her, her hand found Marcie's and she squeezed, Marcie squeezed back.

"How do you feel?" Merrick asked, careful to stay out of Dafne's way.

"Like shit" Marcie replied, her voice still horse, she coughed and raised her hand to her throat, a cup of water appeared and she sipped carefully from it, careful not to choke, Merrick put his hand under her head and lifted it to help her drink, she glared daggers at him,

He smiled looking relieved, "I think you are right w-Dafne, she shall be fine" he grinned at Marcie still carefully holding her head up.

When Marcie'd had enough she lay back down and cleared her throat,

"What happened?" she asked Dafne.

Who shook her head "You tell me girl, coz I ain't got a clue. Thee ole village was worried bout ya, nearly sent search party's out an all, you bin gone near a month"