Meredith's Dragon

Chapter 6

Erminhild wanted us to wait longer before setting off again, but a week was almost more than Gwen or I could bear. I could only walk short distances, and not without pain, but I found a farmer willing to hire out a very old donkey I could ride, so long as I didn't take her all the way to the dragon's lair. Gwen tried to talk Landis into carrying me partway again, but I assured both of them that I would be fine using a walking stick.

We left hours before dawn, hoping to catch the dragon before she emerged for the day's hunt. I hid among the trees a stone's throw upwind from the cave. In the dim light of dawn, I watched Gwen and Landis' approach. The breeze carried their scent directly into the cave, and it wasn't long before the long golden neck stretched out and the dragon snarled her recognition. There was something beautifully fierce about Gwen's face as she met the dragon's claws with her sword. I didn't have time for reflection, but I briefly wondered if perhaps Gwen always had been meant for a warrior.

I took a breath, silencing the thousand worries galloping through my mind, and hobbled to the cave. My skin prickled with the awareness of being without a shield, as I couldn't manage both that and a walking stick. I crawled over the boulders and the darkness of the cave washed over me.

"Ah!" Ebba caught her breath, a sound I'd always loved. "Meredith?"

"Oh, Ebba!" I hobbled towards her and she flew into my arms. I couldn't help holding her for a moment, despite the sounds of battle just outside. "Are you all right? Are you hurt? Can you run?"

"Yes, it hasn't been –. Not too much, she tries to be gent–. Yes, I can run!"

"Good," I said, and patted her back before letting her go.

As we started toward the mouth of the cave, Ebba noticed my limp. "Are you all right, Meredith?"

"I'm fine, we have to hurry," I told Ebba. I limped as fast as I could to the mouth of the cave, Ebba's hand in mine. We helped each other mount the boulders and slip away behind the tree just next to the opening. My heart beat full of hope and fear, ready to take flight like a startled bird.

"Hurry, hurry," I kept whispering, though with my foot I suspected I was slowing Ebba down. We followed the slope downwards, hiding in the trees and slipping past where the others were fighting. The wind began to change. I listened to the grunts, both human and dragon, and dull sounds of impact, wishing I could rush in to help. But I was in no shape for that, and I had to trust Gwen would be able to hold off the dragon until we could get away.

"What's happening?" Ebba asked.

"Gwen's going to take care of the dragon."

"She won't kill her, will she?"

"I hope not."

"She thinks I'm her baby."

I smiled a little. "You are our baby, Ebba. We love you, and we'd do anything for you."

"So would she."

The grunting suddenly stretched into a roaring scream.

"Mother!" Ebba cried. Mother? Her hand slipped from mine and she ran toward the sound.

"Ebba! Come back!" I limped after her. "We have to get away!"

Ebba's golden hair flew behind her as she raced through the trees. Lagging behind, I couldn't see the battlefield, but I saw Ebba's shoulders jerk when she saw it. "Nooo!" She launched herself into the clearing.

Ignoring the pain, I ran on both feet.

Golden scales were spattered with red. Shredded wings propelled a limping dragon toward my baby sister. Ebba kept running toward her.

Landis was flat on the ground, and Gwen clutched her right side while staggering after the dragon with her shield. Though the dragon was dragging her own body, Gwen could not keep up with her.

Ebba stopped in front of the dragon and looked up. "Oh, Mother, I'm so sorry. They didn't understand. I know you tried to take care of me. I know you don't know how to raise a human child. But I know you did your best."

The dragon held still, listening.

I slowly knelt by Landis' body, hoping not to draw the dragon's attention as I picked up his shield and sword. The pain in my foot threw my balance off, and as I stood up the blade clanged against the shield.

The dragon's tail snaked out and coiled around Ebba. Ebba shrieked. The dragon drew Ebba to her body, her tail tightening. "No! Stop! Mother Dragon, what are you doing?"

I ran to the dragon, the sword an unfamiliar weight in my hand. I pointed it at the dragon, then had to hurry to raise the shield in time to block her fire.

"Not the belly." Gwen spoke from the ground behind me. I hadn't thought that far yet, but I saw that Gwen was right. The dragon was holding Ebba close against her soft belly scales. "The eye. It's your only chance."

The next blast was weak, but it singed my hair nonetheless.

Ebba's screams withered to a squeak, then nothing.

"Trust me, Meredith!" Gwen said. "Next time-"

The dragon butted my shield with her head, knocking me over, but I forced my aching body to rise quickly.

"The eye..."

The dragon drew back her head and I fixed my sights on its left eye.

I didn't expect the grief I saw in the liquid green orb. The pain and fear, maybe, but the fierceness I saw was grief, not wrath. As she lowered her head within blasting range, I saw my own image reflected in the diamond pupil.

Ebba managed a last fearful squeak.

I plunged the sword with all my might.

The blade went in up to the cross-guard as the dragon's last flame licked over my shield arm. Her head dropped with a heavy thud, yanking the hilt out of my hands. I stumbled over her neck, the spines catching at my skirt, and reached for her tail. I pried open the coils and caught Ebba as she slid free.

She lay limp against my chest as I held her loosely with my right arm. Then she began to breathe in and out, and her arms came up to wrap around my waist.

I glanced over my shoulder to make sure the dragon wasn't about to attack again. Her neck was twisted and the protruding sword hilt pointed motionlessly at the sky. I buried my face in Ebba's hair.

The embrace couldn't last long, however. Once I was sure the dragon was dead and Ebba was all right, I crawled back to Gwen. I wore the waist pouch Erminhild had sent with herbs and a small jar of salve, and as well as some long strips of bandaging cloth tied crosswise over my chest. When I reached Gwen, she simply asked for a bandage and insisted, "Help Landis first."

It had been easy to assume he was dead. He was covered in burns and his sword arm lay crooked, but now that I had the chance to really look, I could see his chest rise and fall ever so slightly. I did what I could for him.

Meanwhile, Gwen tried to stop the bleeding from the claw wounds in her side and, at my instructions, Ebba went in search of my walking stick and the donkey. The animal entered the clearing reluctantly, rolling its eyes and tossing its head at the presence of the dragon. Only Ebba could have led it this close, and only Ebba could have spoken soothingly enough for the donkey to allow Gwen and I to lift Landis onto its back. I helped Gwen mount after him.

The distance between the lair and the village seemed to grow each time we crossed it, but at last we came within sight of the first farm.

Most of the village was sitting down to the evening meal, but when they looked out and saw us pass by, a crowd gathered. Gwen and I were showered with questions, and Ebba soon pressed close against me to avoid being crushed in any more hugs. As we neared Erminhild's cottage, the healer and her apprentice enlisted a few of the crowd to help carry Gwen and Landis inside. I managed to limp through the doorway behind them.

We had left the village a disgraced and battered trio. We had returned as a foursome, even more battered than before, but victorious.