Soul of the Sorcerer - Part Three: Daughter of the Dragon (24 page)

“NO you can’t go!” Bethany said, banging her fists, in anger, against Allen’s chest. Allen had taken her for a walk outside, into one of the nearby cobbled city squares; they now stood beside a fountain, where a bronze fish spat water out into a bowl below.

He pulled her to him in a hug, her hands pinned against his chest; other than carrying her in a drunken state on a few occasions, this was the most intimate they had been.

“Bethany, I am a soldier of Kalana, one who once served at Seadawn when King Hegan was Prince. I am sworn to the crown, even beyond any obligation to Lloyd...or love...love I have for you.”

The redhead calmed in his arms and he relaxed his grip, enabling her to move away just a little, so that she could look up into his eyes. Tears streaked from her green eyes which had a sadness to them that he had never seen before.

“You cannot love me Allen son of Frank,” she sobbed “my Mother was a whore in a brothel at Mallaca Bay! I have no idea who my father is and people would scorn our relationship, especially with you as an ambassador.”

Allen’s eyes also filled with tears “Bethany, let them speak! Let them scorn! My love for you is nobler than any family name or past you have” he then moved to kiss her gently on the forehead; she, however, pushed herself up on tip toes to intercept his lips. His eyes widened in surprise at first, making Bethany wonder if his upbringing had been particularly prudish. This she soon dismissed, however, when she found him returning her kiss with a passion which she soon matched, their tongues exploring each other hungrily. After a minute they stopped for a breath.

“Will you stay here with me then?” he asked.

“I will stay as often as I can, but I want to stay with Edala to make sure that the things shown to us do not come true. And if she does not die then I know that I can save you too...it would not be a bad idea for you to have a conversation about all of this with Lloyd. He may have some suggestions about how to work with the Emperor”.

Allen sighed and looked sadly into her eyes “Yes, I will talk with Lloyd, but I am sad that you will be leaving. I will cling to the hope of seeing you every month or so.”

“Don’t be silly!” she admonished him gently, “Remember I am much more gifted in the power now; and think I can get from Lloyd’s world to here, in just a few days. I will also see if I am able to communicate with you across the world’s divide” she concluded, kissing him passionately again.

“Child,” Maria said embracing Edala as they all stood on the roof balcony of their home,
“of all of the offspring of our father you are the closest to being like my own daughter...please do not die” she said, wiping tears from her eyes, and standing back from the three young mages and Themisia.

The last of the goodbyes completed, Edala wiped tears from her own eyes, before lifting the long bag containing the stunning wedding dress Maria had made for her.

“Sorcerer, do not leave it too long or the dress will not fit!” Maria finally added.

“I won't” Lloyd replied, before turning towards Allen.

“Good luck with the Emperor; remember to encourage him to allow a stone circle to be constructed south of the border wall. The wizards on the Isle of Retreat know how, it will help with travelling.”

“I will Lloyd, and I will see if one can be constructed near the wolf clan home and also at Seadawn...and I will also get message to Arrenloft to start recruiting as many potential wizards as possible; so that we have an army to face these Bremethren” the young ambassador replied.

“I’m sorry I leave so much on your shoulders my friend” Lloyd concluded with a pragmatic smile, before turning to Bethany, Edala and Themisia.

There had been some discussion about leaving the Ebony Daemon girl in the care of the sisters, but in the end they had decided that, because of the unknown nature of the Ebony Being, it was safer to keep the girl under the care of the mages.

Lloyd noticed Bethany and Allen exchange a long look, before the three friends merged their soul portals and with crystal ball in hand sent their ethereal selves as far northeast as they could, in an effort to reach across the sea, and direct to the coast of Kalana. They all gasped, however, at the distance they could go and they reached the coastline just west of Seaguard easily.  They then pushed on ever further towards Dragonmight. At first, Lloyd suspected that it was not having to transport a non-air mage such as Allen…and that maybe something of Themisia’s unknown magic had assisted…but a new silver tinge to their ethereal forms made him wonder if it was a sign that he and Bethany did, in fact, have an unseen silver portal, lending an unintentional hand to the proceedings. Finally, about two leagues from the Daydark Forest, they reached their limit. Their ethereal forms then shifted back to their bodies and, with a final nod to friends and family, they joined hands and, under Bethany’s lead, cast the translocation spell in unison.

“Three, two, one...Zephyrair, Zephyrmight, from my mind, far of sight, carry us there, true and right!”

Frantic banging on the door to their borrowed bedroom, deep in Dragonmight, roused Amy and Darrion from a deep comfortable sleep and they threw the covers off of the grand four poster bed. When they had requested that it would be nice for a husband and wife to have some privacy, Arden had seemed less worried in the loan of this room than others.

“What is it?” Darrion said loudly.

“Friend Amy and friend Darrion, it is friend Boadaiska, the baby is coming!”

Amy quickly leapt out of bed and fell into her clothes, with the ease of someone familiar with middle of the night dramas; she also quickly used a band to pull her hair back tight into a ponytail.

“I will need my medical bag from up in the entrance hall” she directed at her husband, without a look back at him.

Arden and Boadaiska’s bedroom was just along the corridor; which, like all others in the strange dragon complex, was illuminated by hundreds of the tiny self-illuminating crystals. Amy entered the room to find it in an air of absolute calm.

Boadaiska, in a completely naked state, was sitting with her back against the headboard, a sheen of sweat covering her from head to toe.

Beside the warrior, on the side closest to the door, was Arden’s bulky form, dressed in a simple cotton nightdress. The Dragon-Man gripped his lovers hand; Boadaiska gripped back, and Amy could not tell who was gripping hardest.

Boadaiska, warrior princess that she was, refused to show any sign of pain on her face, at least no sign that a layman could spot. Amy, however, could see little tell-tale signs in the swordswoman's eyes and neck.

“How are you doing?” she asked.

“Good Amy, I expect that our son will be here very shortly” Boadaiska replied, her accent thicker than it would normally be.

At this moment Darrion ran through the door and placed Amy’s bag at the foot of the bed, “Oh!” he said, as he looked head on into Boadaiska’s parted legs.

The swordswoman managed a smile with a raised eyebrow.

Amy shooed her husband out of the way and quickly retrieved some purple hygienic gloves, which she put on and covered with a gel lubricant.

“I’m going to check your dilation” she instructed Boadaiska; the woman had no idea what this meant, until she yelped in surprise as Amy inserted several fingers inside her.

“What is the strange fascination you and your husband have in my parts!” she protested. Amy smiled professionally “You are about four centimetres, so you have a long way to go yet.”

Several hours later the lighting in the corridors lifted considerably, signifying that it was approaching the lightest part of the day outside. Darrion, who had been sitting quietly at the back of the room, next to Kenelm in meditation, suddenly opened his eyes and placed his hand to his nose; he then pulled it away and examined the few spots of blood upon his fingers.

“I think Lloyd and the others have arrived” he said with a smile, “I will go and greet them and bring them here.”

Lloyd, Edala and Bethany had indeed arrived. They walked towards the two huge black stone rock monoliths, with Themisia in tow. The red glowing outline of the giant angels, carved upon them, suddenly flared in brightness and the normally subtle throbbing noise they made, increased to a screech, causing all of them to place their hands over their ears.

“Step back Themisia!” Lloyd ordered the terrified girl, who reacted quickly and the further she moved away from the pillars the quieter they became.

“I had forgotten that she was a Daemon, there is no way for her to pass,” Edala said, trying to think of a Solution. At that moment both Darrion and Kenelm appeared from the huge entrance passageway.

Kenelm ran and scooped Edala up into a surprise hug.

“Ha, child, it is good to see you, although no longer a child I hear from your Mother, friend Lloyd?” this he said with a wink.

“How angry is my father?” the Dragon-Girl asked, returning Kenelm‘s hug, as he lowered her to the floor. The monk threw a sideways glance at Darrion; who replied to the girl, who had been his apprentice.

“Amy and I decided that we would not tell your father; we thought that it should be you who tell him.”

“What he means to say, friend Edala, is that they didn’t want to experience a face full of dragon-fear again!” Kenelm replied with a grin.

Edala glanced towards the entrance of her ancestral home and nervousness suddenly crept into her body language…she also bit her lip in worry. Lloyd walked up to her and took her hand; she looked up at him, and most of the nervous teenage girl vanished.

“Why has my father not come to greet us?” she asked finally.

“He is a little distracted at the moment, with the birth of your next sister” the monk replied with a smile. Edala’s face lit up with the news, and she sprinted towards the entrance. Lloyd immediately ran after her, “Please look after Themisia!” he shouted as he disappeared into the main tunnel entrance.

Bethany took the ebony girl’s hand, as she nervously stepped away from Kenelm and Darrion’s sudden scrutiny.

“So what have we here?” Kenelm said, lifting the shy girl’s chin with his thumb and index finger.

“Be gentle,” Bethany instructed “she is a friend and I have never seen any evil action at her hand.”

“We mean you no harm Themisia,” Darrion said, “but you cannot live out here while we wait for the baby to arrive. Bethany; maybe it will be best for the two of you to stay at the inn down in Daria. I shall help you translocate down there and make sure all is well with the innkeeper.”

“Oh but I want to see the baby!” Bethany protested.

“Do not worry, as soon as I have news I will be in touch” he said and opened his soul portal merging it with Bethany’s.

Edala and Lloyd could hear Boadaiska’s screams long before they reached the bedroom; and their footsteps slowed cautiously, as they approached the open door from the lit, speckled, corridor outside.

Boadaiska’s stubbornness, at ignoring the pain, had finally been overwhelmed; when her pelvis had dilated enough for the baby to begin its journey into light and life. The baby’s head, showing a fine covering of damp yellow hair was currently only half way clear into the awaiting world.

Lloyd nearly fainted at the site. Edala had also turned pale, but it was a paleness caused by fear, a paleness caused by similarities between what she could see now, and what she had witnessed in the vision of Lloyd’s memory...it was the scariest thing she had ever seen...casually knocking the sight of Lord Hozjoh gripping her by the neck into second place.

Boadaiska, covered in sweat, with clenched teeth, released her right hand from Arden’s and thrust it towards Edala.

“Here child!” she ordered and Edala slowly edged forward to grip the warrior’s hand.

“It is good that you are here to see the first son of the dragon be born.”

Edala looked warily at her father and wondered whether this might be the best time to spring her news on him. At this moment, however, the baby’s head seemed to pop forwards and within a few seconds its whole body accelerated with a plop into Amy’s waiting hands.

“Whoa, that was a surprise!” she said.

“Good catch friend Amy” Kenelm chuckled.

Arden moved towards Amy and, with a gentle smile, took the infant in his arms.

Amy watched for any reaction of disappointment.

“Hand my son to me” Boadaiska requested. Arden waited for Amy to cut and tie the umbilical cord, before handing the baby to its Mother.

“Our daughter is as beautiful as her Mother” the Dragon-Man said, placing the child in Boadaiska’s eager arms.

“A flicker of disappointment registered on her face and she looked with concern into Arden’s eyes…”I am sorry my love” she said sadly.

“No, no, no, my love, this is the first child I have had with a woman I truly love, this child is as dear to me as you are.”

“Hey, I am in the room father!” Edala said; she did, however, smile fondly. Arden turned to her and reached to embrace her.

“You will always have a special place in my heart daughter, and your sister here will benefit from a sister’s love as I know you did” he replied.

Edala stretched up on tip toe and just managed to kiss her father on the cheek; she then wriggled free from his embrace and made her way to Boadaiska.

“May I?” she asked softly, Boadaiska wrapped the child in a white blanket, handed to her by Amy, and passed the bundle to Edala.

Edala studied the child’s perfectly formed face; she would be a true beauty, far beyond any of the other daughters Edala had met. Her hair, now it was drying, was becoming platinum blond. Her eyes, which opened only momentarily when passed to Edala, were a very bright blue.

“What are you going to call her?” Edala asked finally.

Boadaiska and Arden looked at each other and chuckled, before Boadaiska replied; “We had not even considered girls names! If it was a boy I was going to call him Helmar, which in the Wolf Clan means famous warrior.”

“Well, you could always call her Louise,” Amy interjected “it’s a bit simple compared to your two names, I know, but it means renowned warrior in one of the countries back on my world.”

Boadaiska did not look very sure at this choice of name, “Maybe we could change it to Louiska? It sounds more Wolf Clan that way”.

Arden however shook his head and took his new-born daughter back from Edala, “No, renowned warrior she is. My little Louise.”

At that moment her blue eyes opened and locked onto his. His heart somehow managed to proportion itself accordingly, to fill with even more love...as it does for many parents, if not all, when they hold their child for the first time.

Lloyd, who had been hanging back with Kenelm, felt a little overwhelmed by the whole event, “I think I’m going to pop outside for a bit” he said to no one in particular.

“Oh no you don’t!” Edala said grabbing his hand.

“Father, Lloyd and I have something to tell you” she said managing to hide all trace of her nervousness.

The giant man looked at his daughter and the petrified Lloyd with a fond smile, “What is it my daughter?”

“Father I am with child, Lloyd’s child...and it is likely that both me and the baby will die during birth!” She analysed the King of the Dragon’s face for several seconds, and was sad to see some of the joy recede from it, as a measure of the weight of the world fell back upon his broad shoulders. He finally placed the baby, named Louise, back into Boadaiska’s arms and then turned to Edala, placing a large hand gently on each side of her shoulders.

“Child you are a woman now; and your decisions and mistakes are yours to make and learn from”. He then looked to Lloyd, “The Sorcerer here is a good man and I am sure he will look after you well...if not he has me to answer to!” he said, throwing Lloyd a mean look; a look in which the young man could not determine the level of humour, if any, that was intended.

“But this foolishness about dying, where does this come from my child?”  Arden said returning his firm, near violet, eyes back to Edala.

“Two Daemen, skin as black as ebony, sought me and Bethany out in Kon. They showed me memories from the Pendant of Daria, memories of things still yet to be!”

“This is not possible child, the pendant still sits around my wife’s neck in the tomb above us” he replied.

“I do not know father, but every intuition I have believes this to be true.”

“But how can you trust Daemen?” he challenged. It was Amy, however, who replied “The thing we need to remember is that if these creatures wanted Edala, and Bethany for that matter, dead…then they could have done it with ease. Also, although you are correct that the pendant does currently sit around your wife’s neck; time, as we understand it on our world, is an unusual thing…I wish it was easy to explain!”

It was at this moment that Lloyd chuckled to himself and everyone in the room turned to him, with a look which said, what’s so funny?

“Sorry,” he blushed “I was just thinking of that film you forced me to watch; with that professor who had a car that was a time machine, he explained the implications of time travel really well…it’s a shame we can’t go home and watch it”

Amy chuckled too, “We shall have to watch it one day. For now though I do agree with you on one thing Lloyd. I think it would be much better for Edala to come home to Earth. If there are going to be complications; then I think I would like to get her booked in for a caesarean...tell me, so that I can work out the due date, when did you two do the wicked deed?”

Both Lloyd and Edala blushed deeply, but then a mischievous look appeared on Edala’s face; “First or second time?” she said. Lloyd’s blush reached a level of crimson, similar to an Englishman with bad sunburn.

“Hah! Friend Lloyd, we will make a monk of Arrenloft out of you yet!” Kenelm added with a slap to Lloyd’s back.