The Dragonlady

Chapter Five

Rin had not explored the outside of the city walls, nor had she been to the north or east of the city, remaining mainly in the south or west. Parmer pointed out places of interest or beauty as they walked, their dragons following at their heels. Seafoam followed without objection, her lead slack in his hand, Parmer using his free hand to show the objects he referred to. Plaques were set into the walls commemorating heroes or events from the past, and visitors or vandals had carved names and dates into the stones or painted simple pictures, mostly crude although some were offensive. Rin giggled at those, Parmer joining her after his initial scowl at each new discovery.

"The walls should not be desecrated in such a manner." Parmer remarked at a particularly saucy wording.

"I have been asked to remove wording much worse than these from the medic's rest room." Rin grinned. "Most of this will wash off in a good rainfall."

"I thought only men did this type of thing!" Parmer exclaimed, his eyebrows vanishing into the long locks that tumbled over his forehead.

"Women seem to be equally guilty."

"I learn something new. Learning is good." Parmer grinned then pointed to a tree with a rusted iron 'V' nailed to a stump of a branch. A key closed the top of the 'V'. "I've never discovered the significance of this."

"They are charms. The 'V' represents the heart. I would guess that someone was declaring his or her romance to the world." Rin grinned. Parmer blushed. "It's better than on the wall." Rin concluded.

"I wonder if they gained any luck from it?" Parmer said after they had walked some distance from the tree.

"I would like to think so." Rin replied. "Although I believe you make your own luck."

"How can you do that?"

"My dad says that if you think you'll be lucky, you will be. Positive thinking, he calls it. Sometimes bad fortune is good luck in disguise. Make the best of what you have, believe better times will come, and be happy."

"Leaving things to chance.... Not always a good way to live." Parmer said, looking at her seriously. "Rather like the way of living you are used to. You deserve better."

"Why do you care?" Rin asked. "You hardly know me."

"I begin to. You have a gentleness within you and a fierce loyalty to your father that is rare in this city. You look so different – brown skin, red hair. You intrigue me and charm me at the same time. And with Blue added into the equation - I've never seen a dragon that colour before, or as obedient. You have no collar or lead, yet he follows you without question or deviating from your side. You're simply amazing."

It was Rin's turn to blush as she shrugged off his compliments. "Blue has always known me. I was the first person he saw when his eyes opened. I suppose he considers me his mother. As for my dad, I'm all he has. I owe him loyalty and respect. I'm nothing special, I'm just ...Rin."

They walked on with silence between them after that. There were few people in sight, although the sounds of crowds were loud on the other side of the city wall becoming louder with every step. Seafoam began to get tense although Blue remained calm, more curious than nervous at the noise.

"The gate is just ahead." Parmer's voice cut through the jollity as he pointed up ahead. Rin's eyes followed where he pointed and she gasped. Up ahead, set into the walls was an enormous arch with stout wooden doors studded with massive iron nails. Above the edge of the doors, set into the stone, were long metal points which would skim the top of the doors when closed, preventing access by any creature larger than house cats. Blue and Seafoam easily walked through the gates, few people noticing their presence, and fewer noticing Parmer or Rin as people of all ages merged into a thick excited crowd to watch a marching band pass. Parmer tugged on Rin's arm, steering her and Seafoam into quieter streets. Blue followed.