Chapter Twenty Four:
Lar
My mind was clearer by the time we reached the harbour close to Haven. I was still shackled, so my jailers retrieved their chain ends and led me off the boat. I wobbled like I was drunk, the soldiers going at a slower speed due to Earl’s presence. I doubt he was about to march anywhere.
We reached Haven within an hour, approaching from the back of the city. Two men were waiting there with a carriage and a cart, horses already attached and saddled up, ready. One of the men’s eyes widened at the sight of me. I frowned, trying to focus my mind.
It was Cedron.
‘What on earth? Samuel, what is this?’
‘Like I said,’ the other man sighed, ‘You are helping Prince Earl transport his property, nothing more.’ He turned his full gaze to Cedron, eyes full of warning.
The man, Samuel, was older than Cedron, old enough to be his father. His black, greying hair came down on his shoulders, and he wore clothes as fine and beautiful as Earl’s.
Cedron lowered his gaze and nodded, moving towards the cart. Samuel smiled and turned back to Earl.
‘Cedron is a reliable trader; he will be discreet with your parcel.’
‘Good.’ Earl said, already heading towards the carriage. ‘I thank you for your help, Duke, and will reward you when I can.’
Samuel bowed slightly. The soliders tugged at my chains again, leading me to the cart.
‘Cee…’ I tried, but realised my tongue still felt too heavy. Cedron looked over at me, wincing with guilt. He turned back to the cart, lowering one of its sides so he could climb in.
‘Lay him out.’ Cedron told the soliders.
The soliders gave each other dubious looks but moved forward, half of them climbing into the cart and trying to pull me up.
‘You want me to lift my legs up that high with all these on?’ I snorted, finding my voice for my important sarcasm. ‘I don’t have super strength you know.’
‘He’s right.’ Cedron said, looking everywhere but me. ‘You’ll have to lift him.’
What followed was an embarrassing five minutes of soliders groping me, trying to get a steady hold on my legs and waist to lift me up. Meanwhile the soliders still on the cart heaved on the chains. I definitely felt hands on my butt when I was half-dangling on the cart’s edge.
‘You should invest in a cart with a ramp.’ I told Cedron once I was on. He still avoided my gaze. Instead he lifted the cart’s side back up, securing it in place. It was then I noticed the large holes in the sides, big enough to slip chains through.
I sighed as I was shoved to the centre of the cart, the soldiers rearranging the chains and handing them to Cedron. He slipped them through the holes, looped them back over the side and secured it further up on the same chain using a handcuff shaped lock, which was hammered shut.
‘Isn’t it a bit loose?’ One soldier asked, realising I could stand and move a few steps if I wanted, enough to reach the cart’s edge but not to climb off.
‘He can only move from one side to the other, not to the front or back, so he can’t tamper with the horses. Trust me; if he needs to relieve himself this will make things a lot easier.’
Twelve hours ago I might have shuddered at the thought, but since then I’d experienced the humiliation of ‘relieving myself’ with eight soldiers watching, holding my chains.
‘Maybe I’ll aim at your head.’ I said coldly.
Cedron winced, but didn’t tighten the chains.
‘Can I rely on you to get him to Lar safely and promptly?’ Earl interrupted, calling out from the carriage window. ‘I have things to prepare for his arrival.’
Cedron nodded. ‘Of course, Your Majesty.’
Earl nodded, pleased.
‘I’ll leave the soldiers with you then.’
With that Earl’s General climbed to the front of the carriage, urging the horses forward into a steady trot. Cedron let out a heavy sigh as the four soldiers climbed off the cart, awaiting orders.
‘I need one of you to steer the horses, and one to walk in front of them as lookout. The rest should surround the cart, two on either side and two at the back. I’ll stay on the cart and make sure the chains stay secure.’
My hopes rose at this.
Is he going to help me escape?
I waited patiently for over an hour, expecting Cedron to suddenly spring his daring plan to set me free.
But all he did was check my chains and stare stubbornly into the distance.
‘Cedron.’ I whispered harshly, now fully focused on reality and able to control my body. ‘What’s the plan? We should act now before we get too close to Lar.’
‘I have no plan.’ He said, dead pan. It was the first time he looked me in the eye. ‘I don’t know what trouble you’ve got into with Earl, but I can’t get you out of it.’
I sat in stunned silence, feeling tears of betrayal in my eyes.
‘W-what? Are you serious?’ I seethed, a harsh whisper. ‘You’re really going to deliver me to that monster?’
‘I…’ he faltered, head dropping in defeat. ‘I can’t risk my position with the Duke. I’d never see Elena again…’
‘Who?’ I asked, still reeling with emotion.
‘His daughter.’
I just shook my head, determined not to cry in front of him, someone I’d viewed as a friend and trusted.
‘I can’t believe you. The king has the dragon Firo imprisoned, slowly bleeding her to death. Earl has some dark alliance with Ignatius, which somehow involves me. How can you ignore that? You’re an Anellan, aren’t you? Our people descend from dragons.’
‘You forget; I come from the clan that doesn’t.’ Cedron said quietly, but not sounding as sure.
‘So that means you’ll do nothing as the original dragon dies? Free me and I can save her!’
For a moment I’d thought he’d do it, his hands hovered over the closest chains, pure anguish on his face. His gaze darted to the soldiers surrounding us. He sighed and clenched his hands into fists, lowering them.
‘I can’t. I’m sorry, but I can’t.’
Cedron didn’t speak another word to me for the rest of the trip, and we arrived at Lar all too soon. The cart headed straight for the castle, the soldiers joined with more back up to keep any curious citizens from looking at me. I was forced to lie down out of sight, the chains now too tight for me to move freely.
I’d heard Lar was a more modern town, its castle more of a large mansion than a historical landmark. All I could tell was the sky was the same colour here as Haven, the sun warm but nothing compared to the desert’s heat.
The cart was led right into the castle walls before I was finally unbound from it, back into my jailer’s control.
Earl was there, waiting eagerly with another blood vial. Cedron nodded his head at Earl and reversed his cart, not looking back as he left.
Time soon began to lose meaning for me, as did a sense of reality. I was left chained in a dungeon room, hooked to the floor, and forced to drink vial after vial of Firo’s blood. Sometimes I’d get human food too. Sometimes they would draw blood from me before giving me Firo’s.
Firo would curl around me in the ash field, like a protective mother, and tell me stories. Old stories of a young world, where people were full of hope and potential. She told me more about immortals, especially Berthilda.
You knew the real Eilir, what was he like?
She paused, her thoughts sad and full of longing.
He was the mate of my soul. I miss him greatly. But his current task is more important, which you’ll see one day.
I was about to question her further when I suddenly felt a familiar, overwhelming presence.
Firo drew back her wings, allowing me to see the snake-like red dragon near us, staring in open curiosity at me.
It is too soon, my child. Firo said softly. He is not ready.
The dragon was smaller than Firo, closer to my size. It stepped forward, reaching out its long neck. It couldn’t help but respond, moving so our noses could touch.
We stayed that way a long time, heat and energy focusing between our chests. When we finally parted I realised a small red blob had formed, still without a shape, but very much alive.
Did we just create that?
The dragon didn’t answer, they just bowed and vanished , the small life going with them.
I am impressed,Firo said. You already have enough power to create. That messenger will be a great help to communicate with your new ally.
Who was that?
You will see, young one. One day you will see.
If I’d been more connected to my body and emotions I think I would have cried in fear and revulsion to what was happening to me. Firo’s blood contained magic, which meant my transformation was no longer limited to my human body’s capacity. The two horns on my forehead grew first, splitting my skull apart to add to the bone structure. Then came the long tail almost the length of my body, covered with red scales and topped with red spikes. Now I could feel something stirring under the skin on my back, growing and readying itself to break through my skin.
What would life hold for me if I ever escaped? If I rescued Firo, could she fix me? Could I ever be human again?
How long have I been here?
Firo grew weaker everyday. My hair, which had been a scraggly, thin length on the back of my neck was now thick against my shoulders.
‘Can you hear me?’
‘He doesn’t respond much. Just make sure to feed and bathe him when needed.’
‘…As you wish.’
I heard a door close, and was going to retreat back to the ash field when the first voice spoke again, surprising me.
‘Well that’s good. We don’t have to worry about the guards hovering over us.’
I focused more on the voice, blinking my eyes a few times until they focused on the dungeon.
A dark haired elf stood over me, holding a bowl of broth. His eartips were missing, and he was wearing the plain ivory clothes of a slave.
‘Whooo…’ I tried, my tongue thick.
‘Hello Firo.’ He said, trying to twist his face into a smile. ‘I am Dagan. Cedron sent me from Tempit.’
Scribbled Thoughts 