Dragons Shining (20 page)

“I am honored to meet you both, even upon this horrible field. If I see Paul, I will be sure to mention this to him. I have others to heal right now however”.

The battle was finally over. It took the rest of the day to pile and burn the dead dark ones and soulless, and the dead horses. They tied the dead Nomads onto horses, some behind a rider and made their way more slowly back to the Haven. The losses were not as heavy as they could have been.

Owen flew back, basking in the beautiful, golden red sunset and the cloudless, storm cleaned sky. He was tired, yet the blood stone shone brightly. He had time to think, and his thoughts were troubled. Many spirits had whistled by and were collected today. He had been tempted to capture them and create something beastly to raze the horde and destroy them, releasing more spirits and so on.  Was he strong enough? He knew this is what Kragon had done in wars of the past.
“Where is the line between darkness and light if I am to take this same path? I need clear guidance before I would even attempt this, even to save my own life
.
”
  Kragon had erred. He would not, he prayed. Baird was no longer with him to answer.

Owen flew around the Haven, noting the various pathways, and he saw the wood trailers still in good shape where they left them, protected from the wind by a small bluff. He had removed all wards and returned that energy to the Blood Stones, the rubies. After everyone was inside, he landed in full view of the sentries and
changed.
They backed away at first, then recovered and waived at him as he entered the Haven.

Annette was waiting for him not far from the entrance.
“She smells wonderful, looks delicious
,
and I am a mess”
. She ran to him and they embraced fiercely.

“They said you were great to have in battle, and careless of your own life. That is a high complement from Garth. I hate the last part though. Are you hurt?”

“Only sore all over. I healed the injuries, but relieving sore muscles is not something magic can help me with.”

They walked down the pathway, to the fork between the paddock areas and the main hall facilities.

“You smell like .. (death), never mind. After you clean up, I will handle your muscles.”

“That sounds wonderful. I need to speak with Baird first though, and check on Gander.”

“See you later then, Owen. I will be waiting.”

Owen continued to the paddocks, where Baird and his men were waiting, except for Tamaris who had been carried to his apartment.

“Hello Owen.”

“Baird, Rolph, Ender, and Purdy.” They performed high fives and each gave him a man hug.

“You need a change of clothes, Baird. You look like one of them, but I like the improvement. Your not an old fart any more. I think you might get some Nomad lady attention tonight, if you change clothes.”

“That’s rich coming from someone dressed in a halter and smelling like a dead Wyrm”, he replied laughing.

Owen laughed with the others. “Your are right. I came over here to get my clothes back, and talk about tomorrow. Will you be coming with us, Baird?”

“Yes, Owen. That was my job all along. I am certainly happy to have you guys with us,” he said nodding to the others. “We should leave at first light.”

“We wouldn’t miss this, Baird”, said Rolph.

Ender said “Right. I hope everyone else we meet is as friendly as these Nomads. Especially the women.”

“Spoken like a salty sailor been at sea for too long”, Purdy said. He missed Tamaris, so Ender would have to do.

“Oh.  I saw that winsome wench leave your apartment, Purdy. Hope you didn’t bruise her with all that weight you carry around.”

“Weight and size, puny sailor. Size matters, heh.”

“Not to change the subject, but I need to speak with you, Baird, about something important, before too long.”

“So serious, Owen? Have a good time this evening. This can wait”, he said with a wink.

“Glad to have your ring back on your finger instead of mine?”

“Yes, thank you, Owen, more than I can say. It does come in handy either way. I’ll see you in the morning, since I do actually have a date”, said Baird, and he walked away.

“Good for him”, said Purdy. “If I had been stuffed into a ring for that long I would be really horny.”

“You’re horny all the time, you big ugly fat man”, said Ender.

Owen laughed and walked over to pet Gander.
“You ok, boy?”
Gander whickered and nodded, nuzzling Owen. He washed Gander with a bucket of soapy water, and then rinsed him off with a second bucket. After drying him off, he grabbed his clothes but did not put them on. The others had cleaned and dried their warhorses by then, so they all headed over to the bathhouse.

Owen left his blades in the apartment after cleaning the harness with hot, soapy water and set it to dry.

Then he joined the others to enjoy a long, hot bath with the others.

“Am I going to meet your ladies, or are they to be a big mystery?” he asked.

“Lets get them all together for dinner. How about it guys?” said Rolph.

“Dinner was not what I had in mind, but ok”, said Purdy.

“Good grief, Purdy”, said Ender. “There will time for that later. I’m in.”

“Annette, would you like to meet us for dinner?”

“Of course. I will find Cindy, Bonnie and Tammy, so tell the boys to relax.”

“Thanks, sweetie.”

“Annette says she will collect the girls, so we don’t need to go looking for them.”

“Does she listen in to everything we say?” asked Purdy, red faced.

“You bet, Purdy”, he lied. “So you better watch your tongue.” Rolph and Ender laughed, and Owen kept a straight face, wishing Tamaris was there with them.

“
How is Tamaris, Annette?”

“Bella is in there with him. She is taking very good card of him,”
Annette laughed in his mind
. 

After returning to the apartments to dress, they met on the way to the little diner Annette had told him about.  There was noise from the common area. “They must be having a party over there”, said Ender.

“No doubt a victory celebration”, said Purdy.

“Actually, Cindy told me they would celebrate the lives of their dead tonight, by getting quite drunk and bawdy”, said Rolph.

“We better go over there after dinner and join the fun for a little while at least”, said Owen.

“You got any spells against a hangover, Owen?” asked Purdy.

“Nope. Elves don’t get hangovers, so why bother?”

“Lucky bastards”, said Ender. “Oh look, they are here already.”

The four girls were sitting at a large table talking. “Hello boys”, said Annette. “All clean and pretty again?”

“The pretty ones are all sitting”, said Owen. “How about introductions?”

After introductions, Owen sat down next to Annette, Rolph sat next to Cindy, Ender next to Tammy, and Purdy next to Bonnie.

“Will the party last until after we eat?” asked Owen.

“Until everyone is passed out drunk probably”, said Annette.

They ordered beer with dinner. There was only one selection, but it was very good Antelope chowder and Buffalo steak.

“There seem to be more ladies than men around”, observed Rolph.

“That’s because our men are always fighting with someone, or killing each other if no one else”, said Cindy. Owen could tell she was taken with Rolph.

“We have many parties”, said Tammie.

“Send word, and we will party for you”, said Bonnie.

“That’s one party you won’t be having”, said Purdy, and he gave Bonnie a quick kiss.

After dinner, they made it over to the Commons. There was free beer on tap, and most everyone was there, except there were no kids. Four musicians and a female singer were playing Nomad music with the beat of a drum, bagpipes, a lute and a guitar. The floor was full of dancers performing their seductive routines. Garth spotted them, and dragged Owen up onto a stage, stopping the music. “Here he is, the Dragon Lord, my Brother! I owe him my life. Without him out there today, many more of you would be causing us to get drunker this night.”  There was a deafening roar as the drunken Nomads cheered wildly.

Owen spotted Baird with a strikingly beautiful, tall redhead. “I have seen through the eyes of a 10,000 year old Wizard, which have seen no one fight as well or as hard as you do. Those that died today did not die easily, and it’s they you should honor, not we the survivors. But in the end it is our Maker to whom we owe everything. Drink to him as well this night!” They roared even louder, and the music continued.

Owen managed to escape Garth, get a mug of beer for him and one for Annette, and made it over to speak with Baird.
“Her name is Rachel”.

“Quite a catch, my friend.”

“Look who’s talking .Try not to embarrass me.” 
Baird was smiling.

“Hello, Baird, and Rachel. It’s good to see you here.”

“Hello Lord Owen”, said Rachel. She saw that Annette had his arm in hers. “Are you truly brother to Garth?”

“Yes, Rachel.” Annette answered for him.

Rachel smiled, showing gleaming white teeth. “I know what that means for us all. Congratulations!”

Annette blushed. She and Rachel had been best friends as long as she could remember. They had only separated somewhat after Annette had shown her talent. She hoped Rachel would enjoy her duties as much as she was. From the looks of the man Baird had owned, it looked like she might at that.

“The beer is good”, said Owen.

“It’s the hops. We have the best in all the land. It was originally brought on the ships, and flourishes here”, said Annette.

“Don’t drink too much of it though”, said Baird. “It packs quite a punch.”

“Let’s dance, Elf”, Annette challenged. After another mug of beer, he agreed.

After a few comical slips, Owen caught on to the dance, so he and Annette stayed at the party long enough to see most of the Nomads fall out, and then retired for one last night of alcohol fueled, gymnastic sex.

Early the next morning as he brushed the hair from her sleepy eyes he asked tenderly,
“You know the dangers
of having my child, don’t you? I am son of the only pure blood vampire. My grandchild could be born a ravenous monster.”

“I know, and I swear to you and the Maker on my soul that I will take the necessary steps before your daughter leaves my womb.”

“What will you name her?”

“Diana will be her name. Who is your adoptive father, Owen? I will keep his name.”

“His sir name is Hodgen”.

“Diana Hodgen then.”

“I like it, Annette. I must tell you now that I do not govern my own fate, or know even what I will become. I fear that I may never see you again, and that saddens me.”

“Do not be saddened, Owen. Be glad in what you have given my people, a priceless treasure foretold to us by an angel in the death vision of our seer, years ago.”