Meredith's Dragon

Chapter 2

Marliss was surprised to see me when I arrived to bring home the flock. "Did you find Gwen?" she asked.

"She's at home making supper with Ebba."

Marliss tilted her head as she examined my face. "I knew you wouldn't like it. I'm not sure I like the idea of her out there fighting either. But Gwen can do anything she sets her mind on."

"Not this," I said.

Marliss gave me a sympathetic look, clearly expecting that I would eventually agree with her. I shook my head, biting my tongue, and began gathering our flock.

They weren't as familiar with my voice as with Gwen's or Ebba's. Though watching the sheep was primarily Gwen's job, Ebba loved going out in the meadow with her and frolicking with the lambs, or going into the pen in the evenings and speaking with the ewes as if they could understand her. The way they looked at her sometimes, I wondered if they could. Still, I made sure to spend enough time with each sheep that they would more or less follow my voice as I led them through the woods.

I had to concentrate hard enough on making sure I didn't lose anyone that at first I almost didn't notice the flap of wings or the glint of yellow above the treetops. The breeze rose and I looked up.

I recognized it immediately, thanks to my father's stories and the tapestry in the trader's cottage.

A dragon.

The sheep scattered, baaing. I could never outrun a dragon with a wingspan equal to the height of the trees around me. I ducked beneath the low-hanging branches of a pine, hoping the beast hadn't seen me. A few of the sheep came after me, but there was no way I could fight off a dragon.

A high-pitched bleat rose above the rest. The branches bounced in the wind as I peeked through them to see the dragon rising back into the air, its claws encircling a fat gray ewe.

When all was once again clear, the sheep found each other and huddled together, bleating pitifully. My voice shook as I called to them and led them home to their pen. It took four tries to latch the gate behind them.

As I entered the cottage, Gwen greeted me with a bitter, "Supper is read-"

"I saw a dragon." She and Ebba just looked at me. "It took one of the sheep."

"Oh!" Ebba cried. "Which one?"

"I have to warn the village."

"A real dragon?" Gwen asked. She almost sounded excited. "Here?"

"I have to go. You two stay here and don't go out."

Of course Gwen didn't obey. She passed me on the way and had hardly reached the first cottage before she began shouting, "There's a dragon! Meredith saw a dragon!"

Villagers emerged from their cottages and looked up from their gardens and animal pens as we passed. "It was about halfway between our farm and the meadow," I explained once Gwen's cries had gotten their attention. "It carried off one of our sheep."

"How big was it?"

"What direction was it going?"

"It was enormous," I replied. "Its wings stretched farther than the trees were tall and its body must have been as big as our cottage. It came from-" I thought about it. "-the west, and veered off northeast."

"Just when all the fighting men have gone south to the earl," Hilda muttered.

"I'll take care of it," Gwen volunteered.

The faces around us looked only mildly surprised. By now they were used to Gwen's reckless ideas. I glanced at Landis, but he was at the back of the crowd, shaking his head slightly. Gwen must have seen him too, because she said emphatically, "I can do it. I've been training for months."

"Our father trained for years before he ever dared join a dragon hunt," I reminded her. "And look what that got him!"

Her eyebrow twitched. "Then this is my chance to restore his honor," she said.

"Absolutely not, Gwen."

Her features hardened, though her face was red. I should have known better than to scold her in public. "Who wants to come with me?" she asked our neighbors.

They looked at each other. A few of the younger boys volunteered, but their mother's held them back. "You're too small for a dragon yet."

"I'll go," said Osgar the leather smith. A couple of older farmers stepped forward as well. Finally, Landis moved through the crowd to stand by Gwen. "You're not ready for this," I heard him whisper.

"Someone has to take care of it," Gwen replied aloud. "And if I have to take the lead, so be it." She raised her voice. "Everyone with the courage to face the dragon and protect our homes and loved ones, gather your weapons and meet me at the grazing meadow." She turned and walked away.

I started to follow, but one of the farmers caught my arm. "What else did you notice about the dragon? Horn length, claws, how thick were its wings-"

"I'm sorry, I need to talk to my sister." I tried to get away, but the crowd surrounded me and wouldn't allow me to leave until I'd fumblingly described the smooth yellow wings, claws the length of my arm, the sound of wings and the change of wind just before the dragon came upon me and the flock. I lost track of who was asking question, and before I knew it, darkness had fallen, and Landis and the farmers were gone.

I found Ebba eating supper with my friend Rowena's children. "Stay here," Rowena begged me. "Nothing good will come of you trying to catch up with Gwen now. You'll only be running through the forest alone in the dark. Even if they do find the dragon, I'm sure the men will keep her out of the thick of the fight."

I wasn't sure if Gwen would let three old men stand in her way, nor that Landis would have the courage to point a stick at a dragon himself. "No, we'll go home to wait for her. I'm sorry Ebba's been eating your food."

Rowena smiled sadly. "My home is yours, Meredith. I wish you would believe that."

Ebba reluctantly slid off the bench and we returned to a cold cottage, watery soup full of half-cooked carrots, and a strange space in the bed where Gwen normally slept. I don't think I slept at all.