2,320 Years Ago
T
he trek with the two youth made Jha’dor anxious. He knew that, on his own, he had a better chance of reaching the border of the kingdom and finding his uncle’s friend, but now he was looking at spending weeks travelling to get to the edge of the Drahl kingdom; let alone finding anyone.
Growling in frustration, Jha’dor ripped a bite out of the venison he had cooked over the fire with a stick. The bland the food moved over his tongue, and he nearly spit it out. Without proper seasonings, everything he cooked tasted as bland as…well, he didn’t really have anything else to compare it to, other than the stick he supposed.
Gaylun and Laurel sat across from him on the other side of their camp fire, both of them eating their food wordlessly. The first time he had fed them food, they had both consumed it with a hunger so ravenous that it had nearly left Jha’dor speechless. But now they both ate their food with the decorum he expected of those raised in a noble house. Mostly.
Gaylun dug into his food with a vigor that almost broke royal decency, but Laurel ate hers in quiet solitude, sneaking occasional glances his way when she didn’t think he was looking.
It had been three days since Jha’dor had agreed to travel with them, and he was increasingly convinced he had gone in over his head. Rather than spending his time flying straight to the edge of the kingdom he now travelled the country side, looking for food and for shelter.
Glaring resentfully at them, he watched as Laurel offered the part of her food to her brother.
“You sure?” Gaylun asked as grease fell from his chin. “You don’t want the rest?”
“I’m not that hungry,” she replied, though Jha’dor could clearly see she had only taken a bite out of the piece she had in her hand, the rest of her food lay on its stick near the fire. “You can have the rest on the stick.”
Taking the food, Gaylun shoved it into his mouth, devouring it in a single bite as he chewed with his cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk.
Memories of Olinar providing for him as Laurel had for Gaylun surfaced, and Jha’dor stared back down at his own meal, a lump forming in his throat.
If only you were here, Olinar, Jha’dor thought miserably. You would know what I should do about these… children.
The thought of his dead brother sent a pang through him, and Jha’dor turned his face away from the siblings. He would not have them see him cry! He was Jha’dor, a Prince over the Drahl Kingdom, now first in line to the throne, and he would not have others see him be weak. No one else had seen him in his moment of weakness when Olinar had passed, and he wasn’t about to let a couple of sniveling kids see him either.
Breathing heavily to try and control his emotions, Jha’dor bit into his food once more and ground the chewy meat between his teeth.
Perhaps it would be better if I were to eat this as a dragon? Then the taste would not bother me as much. The thought was tempting and he would have done it if he were on his own. But those blasted kids always squirmed around him whenever he shifted, and Laurel… he wished she would stop staring at him so often.
Glancing back at them, Jha’dor caught Laurel staring at him again before averting her eyes, trying to act normal as she straightened out her filthy dress.
Snorting in derision, Jha’dor resumed his meal begrudgingly.
“Which direction shall we go in the morning?” Gaylun asked around a mouthful of food.
Each day they had been heading in a northwestward direction, and every morning Gaylun would ask the same stupid question for which way they should go.
“The same that we have been going. Northwest,” Jha’dor answered in a growl, his voice hoarse from the little use he had given it.
“And how soon do you think we will reach the border?”
“At the rate we’re going it’ll take us till the second coming of Tharacken before we make it anywhere,” Jha’dor grumbled. His frustration rose and he tossed his piece of venison into the fire scattering the coals and sending a plume of smoke and ash into the sky. “By Drahlros’s light, if we move any slower I might as well hand myself over to my father now and slay you both tonight for all the trouble you caused me.”
Gaylun held his food close to him and shrunk away from Jha’dor, as if worried that Jha’dor might take it and cast it into the fire as well. Unable to back away any farther, Gaylun eyed hungrily at the deer meat Jha’dor had thrown in, like a pig after a scrap of slop.
Laurel did none of those things. Instead she scooted forward, her expression that of the same adoration that she had shown him that first day he had caught them trying to steal from him.
“For you m’Lord,” she said, holding out her piece of meat she had saved for herself. “Please, eat as my thanks for bringing us along.”
Jha’dor glared at her. “Is there nothing I can say that will dampen your spirits? Your brother has sense enough to stay away from me, and yet you seem drawn to me in spite of what I may say or do to you. Have you no reason left, Laurel?”
“I know that had you really wanted to end us, you would have done so already,” she replied, still holding out the meat to him. “But I don’t think you will. My only worry is that the man who has taken us under his wing is fed and happy. But if we’re that much of a bother, then please, don’t make me wait to find out if I’m a dead woman or—”
“Laurel!” Gaylun cried out, moving forward and reaching out a hand to pull her back. “Have you lost your senses? Are you trying to get us killed?”
She let him pull her back, but Jha’dor could see it in her eyes that she meant every word.
Reaching out his hand, Jha’dor smiled a little as Gaylun flinched at his approach, and kept going till he took the still proffered meat from Laurel’s hands. He offered no thanks, but rather he gave a slight nod in appreciation.
Gaylun continued to watch him wearily, but Laurel’s face had flushed a bright pink that made Jha’dor chuckle. “You best get your rest,” he said, scooting back to his spot. “We have a long day ahead of us and a lot of walking to do.”
Nodding her head enthusiastically, Laurel dutifully did as he requested and laid down beside the dwindling flames, but Gaylun continued to scrutinize him.
“What’s the matter, have I got something on my face?” Jha’dor asked him, rubbing his chin and feeling almost five days’ worth of facial hair.
Gaylun averted his gaze and shook his head. “No, m’Lord. Nothing at all.” Nearly scarfing down the rest of his meal, Gaylun scooted closer to his sister and pulled their meager blanket over her. Once she was tucked in, Jha’dor watched as the young man got himself comfortable and lay down to sleep.
Jha’dor watched over them and their camp until he was sure they were both asleep, taking small bites of Laurel’s meat she had given him until it was mostly gone. With the last of the dying embers of their fire, he tossed the last of his food into the fire and laid down to rest as well. The trees and the stars his only companions as he drifted off.
…
He woke to the chill morning air before the rising of the sun and saw the trees of the forest lay blanketed in a thick heavy fog all around him, like ghosts fading in the morning light.
Grunting, he sat up and checked to make sure both Laurel and Gaylun were still there, worried his demeanor from last night had scared them off.
Good, he thought, seeing their prone forms lying on the ground as their chests slowly rose and fell with each breath. He still wanted to be on his own, and the thought was still very tempting to kill them, but… the idea of going off without them troubled him. It was an unusual feeling and he wasn’t sure what to make of it.
Deciding he would worry about such matters later, Jha’dor stiffly got to his feet and began doing his routine stretches called rak and worked away the sleepiness from the rest of his muscles. While not intended to hurt him, the rak’s function was merely to provide an opportunity for one to relieve tension in the body and to enhance its flexibility.
While stretching his arm out to the side, he noticed the Elementalist book lying in his pack just a little of the way out. I really should get around to reading that thing, he thought glumly, turning and stretching his other arm. He had tried to read it before, but things always seemed to come up that kept him from reading. That and he didn’t quite understand what the author was trying to say. Something about using his will and combining it with an ancient tongue that opened the doors to using Elemental power.
Shaking his head, he was in the mid-stretch of the tharacks position when he heard the sound of something massive thumping through the woods and coming closer. Moving out of the stretches, Jha’dor tensed and stood still, his body and mind alert as he tried to look for the source of the noise. But the fog still lay thick all around him. His vision was limited to a thirty foot radius and he slowly scanned the area, making sure to step softly as the ground rumbled again, and again; continuing every few seconds as if a giant creature were slowly walking through the forest.
During his youth there had been stories of creatures as big as trees roaming the Nesh Mountains, forest giants they were called, but never had he considered the tales to be true.
“What’s happeni—” Gaylun started to say, but had Jha’dor quickly jumped over the fire pit and clapped his hand over the boys mouth.
“Shh,” he said gripping Gaylun tightly to make sure he didn’t move. “Something is out there.”
Right on cue, another loud boom shook the forest as whatever it was took another step closer and Jha’dor felt Gaylun tense beneath him. Together they sat in silence feeling every few seconds another booming echo throughout the forest. The gray sky above filled with dawn’s early light, and Jha’dor thought he saw something moving as a shadow between the forest trees, but with all the fog in the area he couldn’t make out anything as the massive shadow slowly moved on.
Jha’dor felt himself relax with the last of the steps fading into the trees, wishing he were back in his own room at Vengluth.
Gaylun tapped Jha’dor on the arm and muffled something under his hand. Releasing the boy, he stood back as Gaylun looked around.
“What in damnation was that?” Gaylun asked, his voice cracking slightly.
“I don’t know,” Jha’dor replied, thoughtful. “I’ve heard rumors of giants walking the forests, but I couldn’t actually see it to know if that’s what it was.”
“Sounded heavy enough,” Gaylun said, standing beside him. “What should we do?”
“Clean up. I don’t like how exposed we are here and something feels — off,” Jha’dor said, a sense of unease coming over him. “Wake your sister. We need to leave now.”
“Is something wrong?” Gaylun asked, sounding worried.
“I don’t know. I just… somethings off about this place and I want to get as far away as I can from here,” Jha’dor said, growing frustrated. He kicked dirt into his makeshift fire pit hoping to destroy any evidence they were there, and grabbed his bag, making sure his book and the letter were still tucked in.
“What’s going on?” Laurel asked, trying to rub the sleep from her eyes. “Why are we leaving so soon?”
“Hurry. Pack your things,” Jha’dor commanded, moving to help them grab their stuff.
“But what’s going on?” she questioned. Jha’dor moved over to grab her things but Laurel stood and glared up at him. Her gaze never faltered from his and her presence demanded an answer.
They stood still and tense for a moment while Gaylun looked nervously back and forth between them. When neither one budged, Gaylun stepped around them and continued to grab his and his sisters stuff.
“We just saw—or rather heard, something large marching through the forest in the mist. Besides that something doesn’t feel right about these woods,” Jha’dor finally answered, begrudgingly. “I don’t want something to catch us unawares.”
Turning her gaze away from him, Laurel’s eyes searched around at the foggy forest. “I don’t hear anything.”
“Well whatever was here left a long time ago,” Gaylun said darkly, waiting at the edge of their camp and looking around nervously. “Of course you wouldn’t hear it now, but it was big. Huge.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Laurel said, her eyes locking onto Jha’dor’s. “Just listen. Where are the birds? Where are the noises of the forest that are usually here come the dawn?”
“The giant must’ve scared them off,” Gaylun said dismissively. Coming up beside her, he reached out and grabbed her arm in an attempt to pull her along.
“No wait,” Jha’dor said, holding up a hand to stop him. “She’s right. A giant walking through its own forest should not startle the creatures away who would be used to its presence. This is something else.”
“Does that change what our plans are then?” Gaylun asked growing frustrated. “If there is something out there that is scaring the birds and animals more than a giant, wouldn’t it be prudent if we ran away?”
“He’s right,” Laurel agreed. “We should go.”
“Then perhaps ya shouldn’t ‘ave argued with each other if ya mean to leave,” a voice said from behind Jha’dor.
Spinning to see who had spoken, Jha’dor watched as not just one, but multiple men began to materialize out of the fog. Many of them wore furs that made them bulkier in their shoulders and chest, and all of them either held bows, axes, spears, or swords. Jha’dor tried to count them all but he only got to about fifteen before he realized it was pointless since the fog and trees hid many more than he could count.
“Who are you?” Jha’dor called out, standing tall and making sure to pull back his shoulders to appear more regal. If only he had a weapon of his own!
“We be the Fogsome bandits of the Fogsome Lowlands, we are,” the same man said from before and Jha’dor could just make out the malicious smile on his face. “There be over twenty of my men here, and only three of you. What be a small group of travelers like ya be doing in these parts?”
“Fogsome bandits? Haven’t heard of you,” Jha’dor said dismissively. Behind him, he heard a collective gasp in surprise. “Our business, however, is our own,” he continued, doing his best to ignore the two behind him.
“Ya own, eh?” the man said with a laugh. He stepped closer to Jha’dor and he was able to see that this man was much taller than the others, and, despite the furs, he could see that this man actually had the muscle to back up his bulk, and in one hand he held an axe while a sword hung in its sheath at his side. “Did ya not hear a word I said? These woods be the Fogsome Lowlands, and that means we get to decide if your business remains your own.”
“How do you figure?” Jha’dor asked, feeling both Laurel and Gaylun walk closer to his side.
The tall man’s evil grin grew wider. “Ya must be a stranger if ya have not heard our claim. But these lands are ours by birth. Each man here was born in these here lands, and that gives us a rank as high as any lord or lady among the scorching Drahl nobility.”
“Is that so? Then perhaps your great lordship wouldn’t mind allowing us to pass on your lands unmolested?” Jha’dor ventured, hoping to end this peacefully. He had never heard of this group, and while his father had tried to squash those in the kingdom that caused trouble, he held the impression that the country sides had been left to their own devices until they would have to deal with it. But now that the name had been said Jha’dor could remember seeing the Fogsome Forest on a map, so at least he knew roughly where they were at now.
“Let ya go?” The tall man said. “I, Tolbrand, have never let anyone cross our lands without first being marked and paying our toll. Perhaps I should take that pretty thing behind ya and make the lad work our fields first before ya goes on your way?”
Out of the woods and fog behind them, men rushed forward and grabbed ahold of both Gaylun and Laurel. Gaylun yelled and struggled against his captors, pleading for them to stop. Laurel, on the other hand, remained calm as they grabbed and bound her. Jha’dor made no move to stop them, watching as the men did their work. Gaylun’s screams were finally stopped as one of the men took a piece of cloth and shoved it in his mouth before another tied a cloth to gage him.
When it was Laurel’s turn to be gaged, their eyes met, and she gave Jha’dor a small nod. What an odd gesture to make when being captured, he thought while they pulled her away. Did she want me to abandon her? It was entirely possible based on their conversation from the night before.
The man, Tolbrand, watched Jha’dor with dark brown eyes. His brows scrunched together as his men moved Laurel and Gaylun away into the woods. “Do ya not care that we hold them hostage?” Tolbrand asked with a cold glare. “Are they not ya kinsman?”
“They are not my kinsman,” Jha’dor said just as coldly back, his gaze firm. “They are children that I happened upon in the woods and swore I would watch after them.”
“That be mighty generous of ya, if I believed a lick of it,” Tolbrand said he spat a glob of his spit on the ground near Jha’dor’s feet, his brow furrowing even more. “Now tell us the truth. What be the real reason we found ya out here in our woods with some children. Ya can’t be more than twenty so they ain’t ya own. No lyin’ now, or I start chopping fingers.”
“And why would I lie to you?” Jha’dor said, then gestured to Gaylun and Laurel. “I found these two out in the woods three days ago and offered to keep them under my care for the time being. Is that really so hard to believe from me?”
“I’ve known too many lyin’ lords and ladies to really believe much anymore,” Tolbrand said with a shrug of his shoulders. “And anything the babes say will just be whatever lies you have told them to tell us, so we won’t be asking them much of anything for now.”
“Then what can I say or do for you to make you believe I am here for innocent reasons? I am unarmed as you can reasonably see. I have no guards to indicate I might be higher nobility, and you won’t let the children speak. What would you suggest?”
Tolbrand thought about it while his men shifted and stirred around them. Laurel sat calmly but Gaylun refused to hold still, his limbs continued to thrash around in his captors arms.
“Ah, quiet him down will ya lads?” Tolbrand said, with a dismissive hand. “I’m tryin’ ta think here.”
Gaylun struggled even more as a man raised his fist and began punching him over and over in the face until he went still. Jha’dor merely watched the whole thing happen in a detached air, surprised Gaylun hadn’t cooperated like his sister had to avoid getting beaten. Gaylun’s face bleed freely from his nose, mouth, and a cut above his left eye that had already begun to swell.
Rather than continue holding Gaylun’s limp form, Tolbrand’s men dropped him. His face smacked the ground and blood flew from his nose as a moan escaped him.
“If you don’t intend to kill the boy I would suggest ungagging him,” Jha’dor commented, eyeing Tolbrand who was watching him closely. “Unless you want him to suffocate on his own blood?”
“Why would ya care what happens to em?” Tolbrand asked, sounding genuinely curious. “What has he done to deserve your respect?”
“Like I said before. I told them that I would keep them in my care and watch over them while we traveled. I don’t believe letting him die would be a good way to keep that promise, do you?”
“Nah, it wouldn’t,” Tolbrand admitted.
“And I would hate for the death of a child to be on your hands,” Jha’dor added on, seeing a way to give Laurel and Gaylun some respite. “Or are the Fogsome bandits so callous that they take pleasure in the killing of innocent children?”
Many of Tolbrand’s men shifted uncomfortably and a few muttered “it ain’t right” or “they’s barely youngin’s.”
Tolbrand scowled at Jha’dor before turning on his men. “Are all of ya blind? That boy looks to be about manhood he does. And as for her?” Tolbrand walked over and forcefully cupped Laurel’s chin in his hand. “Why she’s practically a maiden ready to bare some children she is. Tells ya what Mr. Lord. I’ll only chop off two of the boys fingers for your blatant lies, and keep the girl fer me pleasure. Be nice to have a bit of lady like company if you know what I mean.”
A couple of the men chuckled and Jha’dor noticed Gaylun starting to stir again. Idiot, if the boy didn’t stop struggling then he would die from blood loss or another beating. Better to conserve his energy and just wait.
Turning away, and ignoring Gaylun’s struggling form, Jha’dor looked to Laurel and to his surprise he actually saw fear in her eyes. She didn’t struggle against Tolbrand, but in her eyes there was a fear so primal that Jha’dor felt something stir within in him.
“Don’t touch her,” he said forcefully, surprising himself. Every head turned to him, and Laurel’s gaze met his with hope.
“What did ya say to me?” Tolbrand said, turning his head slowly to look at Jha’dor instead.
“I said. Do. Not. Touch. Her,” he replied, emphasizing each word.
“Or wha’?” Tolbrand sneered at him, letting go of Laurel and stomping in Jha’dor’s direction. “What would a lord like ya’ self be able to do against us? At least twenty or more men to one. I quite like our odds.”
Again his men laughed at his joke, but one man spoke up with an interesting question. “What if he a shifter or a drahli, Tol? If we’re not careful he could kill us with a thought he could. Just kill him now so we can be on our merry way.”
“Smart thinking, Dirk,” Tolbrand hollered back, his gaze never leaving Jha’dor. “Well, are ya a shifter, or a drahli your lordship?”
“If I was either of them, wouldn’t I have already made my escape by now?” Jha’dor countered. “If I am the cold, heartless bastard you think I am, wouldn’t I have shifted, or used my powers, and been on my way?”
There was more additional murmuring and Tolbrand’s face split into a mischievous smile. “There be the first bit of truth if I ever heard it lads! If this bastard really were some great lord then he should be able to save himself. Fly away and leave these poor miserable souls in our care as it were.”
Jha’dor hadn’t really considered it, but now that it had been brought up, the prospect intrigued him. He could shift and leave Gaylun and Laurel to their fates. They had been bound to starve to death before he had met them, he would simply be allowing death to claim them a little later than before. Besides, Gaylun had never really trusted him except for those times when Jha’dor had hunted food for them, then he was all praise and respect.
Again the idea of being free appealed to him, but then his gaze turned to Laurel once more, and deep inside her eyes he still saw her fear, except now he saw hope as well.
He knew that if he left she would not fault him. He knew she would hate her existence and curse her luck for what had befallen her, but she would never blame him for leaving them. It was the most logical thing to do. He needed to do it if he wanted to continue his journey as fast as possible. Yet starring into her beautiful face as the morning light burned through the fog she reminded him of Valari and her beauty, and a pang hit him in his heart. He knew could not bring himself to leave her.
No.
He would not leave Laurel to fend for herself. She deserved so much better. And he would do his best to provide it.
“What about,” Jha’dor said, turning away from Laurel’s eyes and facing the still smirking Tolbrand, “I just kill you now?”
“Wha’?” Tolbrand said, his smile disappearing.
Jha’dor shifted. Glorious power flowed through and energized his limbs till every part of him had taken on the form of the dragon once more. So large was he that everyone looked to be nothing more than a oversized stuffed doll.
Before Tolbrand could shout a command, Jha’dor back handed him away from Laurel, his form flying through the thinning fog till he smacked hard into a tree, falling limp among its roots. Turning to Laurel again, Jha’dor opened his mouth and bellowed at the two bandits still holding her. Together they released her, and ran into the woods, their hands attempting to block out the sound of his roar.
Others were following their example while a few stayed behind, jabbing their spears and swords at him. Others had rushed over to Tolbrand at the base of the tree their cries of concern lost in the rabble around Jha’dor trying to skewer him. Hopefully the scorching man had died.
Swatting at the spears around his face, Jha’dor felt a sting from his calf. He roared in rage, belting out tongues of flame from his maw and driving the men with spears back. Once certain they were all screaming away in terror, he looked around to find one lone soldier attempting to drive his spear again into Jha’dor’s leg. Lifting his injured foot, he kicked the bandit away, his scream echoing throughout the forest.
Looking around for any new foes, he noticed the trees around him had caught fire, spreading from tree to tree while black smoke filled the forest instead of the fog that had previously been with them. That will need to be addressed before I leave with the others, he thought, realizing that this would be another problem to have to solve next.
Certain none of the bandits had stayed behind to help their fallen comrades, Jha’dor gently picked up Gaylun like a child picking up a toy doll. Laurel stood in the same place she had been abandoned by the two men, waiting patiently for Jha’dor. Instead of offering herself up for him to pick up, she turned and began running deeper into the forest, away from the flames.
Now where do you think your headed? Jha’dor thought, looking in the direction she was going. Ah, yes. I see it now.
Through the trees ahead of her, he had spotted the sun filled clearing that must’ve caught her attention during their interaction with the bandits. Walking as smoothly as he could while holding Gaylun, Jha’dor made his way to the clearing after Laurel.
Smoke from the burning trees filled the forest, and Jha’dor knew they had little time before the flames began to spread at a rate that would be hard to escape on foot. He knew that, more than likely, this meant that he would finally have to fly them away to avoid the fire.
They reached the middle of the field, and he set Gaylun down before returning to his human form. Laurel watched him in her usual look of wonder until he was normal again.
“We must hurry if we are to get away from here,” Jha’dor said, running over to Laurel and untying her hands first. “That fire will spread and will alert my any of my father’s spies in the area to coming looking here for me. Quick, help me untie your brother.”
Laurel nodded as she undid the gage on herself and moved to help Jha’dor with Gaylun’s ropes next.
The poor boys face was a mess of blood and bruises, and his eyes were swollen shut completely, the left looking worse than the right one. Pulling out a side knife, Jha’dor cut Gaylun’s gage free and yanked out the cloth that was soaked in blood. The boy gasped in fresh air, only to cough and spurt out the blood that had begun congealing in his throat. Jha’dor grimly watched until Gaylun had finished spitting out red blobs and lay panting on his back.
“Thank you. I can’t believe you saved us. Thank you. Thank you for saving me and my sister!” Gaylun wheezed, his chest rising and falling in quick succession.
“Yes, well. It was nothing,” he replied awkwardly. Then, hoping to change the subject he asked, “How are you feeling?”
“I’ve been better. Thank you for saving my sister,” Gaylun repeated with a toothy grin. “She means everything to me.”
Jha’dor let it drop. He didn’t have time to deal with a delirious mind, and that fire was spreading faster. “Listen, we need to get going, are you able to walk at all?” Jha’dor asked.
Gaylun attempted to sit up, but promptly laid back down. “No, I can’t,” he panted, his face turning pale. “My head spins when I do, and even though I can’t see anything now, little lights appear before my eyes.”
Jha’dor swore.
“Is he going to die?” Laurel asked, her voice shaking slightly.
“He will live, unless we can’t get the two of you away from the flames,” Jha’dor said with a nod back to the fire. “But as he can’t walk we don’t have a way to escape without him passing out, or injuring himself more.”
“Then we haven’t truly escaped at all,” Laurel said, gazing down at her brother. “Instead we exchanged one peril for the next.”
“It was the only way to save your skin,” Jha’dor spat. “I had not intended to set the forest a blaze.”
“Leave me,” Gaylun said, reaching out blindly until he was gripping Jha’dor’s arm. “Leave me here. I care not what happens to myself so long as Laurel is safe.”
Again, Jha’dor considered the possibility of leaving them behind. If he could but fly away then the matter wouldn’t be an issue, but he had given them his word to keep them safe. Why do I always seem to get myself caught up in promises and oaths? he cursed silently to himself.
“Wait,” Laurel said, reaching out and touching Jha’dor’s shoulder. “Could you not fly us away from here? You could carry us to safety, and then we can rest until Gaylun can walk on his own again.”
“It’s not that simple,” Jha’dor replied. In the days they had traveled together, he had never bothered bringing this subject up, and neither one of them had seemed inclined to ask it of him. He had shifted, of course, but he did so for short periods of time to avoid inflicting the shifter's curse upon himself and becoming incapacitated like Gaylun was now. “What you are asking is impossible of me. To carry both of you over any great distance would be subjecting myself to the shifter's curse, and you would be without a way for food or guide for however long I slept, let alone survived the ordeal.”
“Then only take us so far,” Laurel insisted. “We need not find this friend of yours on the border today. Just take us far from here so that we can be safe and that Gaylun can rest in peace. How long did you fly when the shifter's curse came upon you the first time?”
He thought for a moment, thinking back to that fateful day he had arrived back at Vengluth Palace. “It had been a for a day and a night before the curse fell upon me.”
“Then only fly for an hour or for however long you wish,” Laurel suggested. “The day has just started, and if you can fly us far enough, the flame and smoke will be nowhere near us, nor should any of your father's spies be able to see us if we cover our tracks well.”
Jha’dor thought about it in silence for a moment, his gaze drawn to the spreading fire. For a moment he wished he could stay to see the spread of its destruction. But then Laurel’s scarlet hair flared in Drahlros’s light from the sun, and he knew he couldn’t let these two die. He hadn’t wanted to bring them harm when he first met them, and by the dark god’s pit, he wasn’t about to give in now.
“I don’t like it, but we can try,” Jha’dor said finally. “There is a chance the curse will come over me when I change back, but it is better than leaving either of you here on your own.”
Laurel gave him a radiant smile, and Gaylun gave a toothy grin.
“Just know that I do not have a way to keep you on my back, so if you should fall, I may not catch you in time if I do not notice quickly.”
Laurel nodded enthusiastically, while Gaylun frowned. “What about me? I can neither stand nor see well enough to get onto your back. How can I escape with you then?”
“I will carry you as I carried you over here from the flames,” Jha’dor replied. “Between the two of you, you’ll be the safer, but by Drahlros’s light, let’s hope we make it a great distance before I need to put you down.”
Walking further out into the field, Jha’dor shifted in the clearing, turning into his dragon self once more and wishing he could help spread the joy of flame on the world. But looking down, he came to his senses and slowly he helped Laurel climb onto his back until she clung to a spiked ridge. Gently, he picked up Gaylun and with a rush of his wings he took to the sky. Flapping rapidly to gain altitude he circled the field and the ever spreading wild fire below. Its smoke a beacon to anyone within the vicinity that trouble had come here.
After going around a few times, Jha’dor pointed himself in a Northwesterly direction and began flying with the bright morning sun on their backs.