The Dragon's Chase

Chapter Eight

(Uuuuugh sorry this took so long! I just wasn't in the mood for the longest time. Next chapter might take a while, too. School and such. Sorry, guys! Please enjoy)

"Merrik!" Cecelia called, coming into the armory.

"Yeah?" Merrik asked, coming up to the counter. He wiped his hands off with a rag, getting the sweat off of them before wiping his forehead. He wore a heavy apron over a lightweight tunic and pants with his mid-calf-length, cobalt-blue leather boots. "What's up?"

"I brought lunch!" Cecelia replied brightly, hoisting up a bag.

"Thanks, Cecelia, but you don't have to bring everyone lunch all the time," Merrik told her. "I was gonna head over to the butcher for something."

"But I wanna help," Cecelia whined, pouting slightly. "I brought you a nice lunch, Merrik! Come oooon, please?"

"Fine," Merrik agreed with a sigh. "Hand it over."

Cecelia set the bag down on the counter and grinned. "Thank you."

"Anything else you need?" Merrik asked.

"Actually, yeah," Cecelia replied. "Grizzy's gonna be training Ava how to use a sword. Can you make them each one?"

Merrik nodded. "Sure thing. Though why is she getting trained by him? Wouldn't it be better for the best warrior to train her?"

Cecelia shrugged. "Sonya said it'd be good for Grizzy. Plus he's really good and a great teacher. Are you jealous?" she asked teasingly.

Merrik went red. "What?! No! I've only known Ava for like a day. She seems nice, but I was just concerned because a new war seems like it's looming even closer now."

"Uh-huh, sure," Cecelia stated with a chuckle. "Anyways, Sonya wants those swords done by the end of the month, so you've got some time."

Merrik nodded. "Alright. Any special requests for them?"

Cecelia thought for a moment. "Hmm. Not that I can think of. I'm sure Sonya'll be by sooner or later to help make things clearer."

"Alright. I'm sure she'll explain the missing bits and pieces," Merrik replied. "Thanks, Cecelia."

"Course!" Cece exclaimed brightly, grinning. "Anyways, I should get going. Bye!"

"Bye," Merrik agreed as she left.

Merrik sighed. The armory was also a blacksmithery. He had been working there for about two hundred years at this point, taking over about fifty years ago.

When he had met that human girl, he had not expected to be making her a sword. He had figured that they would just take her in and protect her, not train her to fight her own kind. Was that really right? To teach someone to fight their own kind, betray them? He couldn't imagine turning on his own race. Then again, he had had no clue what had truly gone on during the war with the humans, the atrocities committed by both sides. He figured that he had better get to work.

Over in the bookstore, Tullan was working, sorting the books. Every once in a while, when he got anxious about something, he would reorganize the entire store. He had a few set systems as to how he did it and everyone in Fabeldyr was familiar with them, so it wasn't usually an issue.

"Um, Tullan?" Blazania started gently. "Can I help?"

Tullan shook his head. "I'm so sorry, Blazania, but. . .I don't want things to be messed up."

"Oh, okay," Blazania replied, trying to hide the hurt in her voice. "I'm gonna go, then. Bye."

"Wait!" Tullan replied, perhaps a little too hurriedly.