Hunter Or Huntress

“Right. Tarp,” Saph muttered to herself as it became evident where the rather massive section of canvas had been hiding. Galaxer had been using it as harness padding, which was mostly due to there really being nowhere else to put it. Even folded in on itself twice it still covered all of the venerable dragon’s back.

“I still don’t get what you want that for? Don’t we have tarps? Actually, no, I know we have some. We used them for the logs and shit,” Pho complained, still not having worked out the purpose of a keep-dweller getting a few dozen square meters of stout waxed canvas.

Saph had to admit it looked to be quality stuff and brand new. It was laid out in the grass for inspection by the buyer, Ray walking along the sides of it, looking it over and passing Saph on her walk round.

“Sooo who is it for?” Saph questioned as she came by.

“Tiguan. For when it rains,” Ray answered meekly as she carried on.

“Ahr I see.”

“Wait, you got this for a dragon who is staying at a keep? Don’t they have a greeting hall?” Pho piped up again, clearly wanting to be heard today.

“Yes, but the floor is stone. It gets cold in winter. Also he gets to keep it. He told me about all the times he has had to sleep outside before. Now if he has this he could stay dry. Or have something nice to lie on.”

“Yes, it can certainly help make a campsite more comfortable,” Galaxer agreed, giving the woman a nod. “But it seems you know that already. Is that for Glira by chance?” he questioned, glancing towards where Saph and Fengi had set up the other tarp for Yldril, to give her some shelter from the rain.

“No, that is for our resident black dragon,” Saph clarified. “I believe she is currently napping in protest.”

“Ahr…” the dragon responded, glancing to Baron, the decorated war veteran. “A peculiar allocation of resources isn’t it, sir?” he asked, with what Saph thought to be humor in his voice.

Baron and Jarix had been sitting behind the line of dragonettes, waiting patiently and having a chat with the two new arrivals when they weren’t busy with all the unloading and various questions.

“It is indeed… but she is of the keep. We are not. If we wanted a tarp we best bring one ourselves,” the red dragon responded, calmly and seemingly not upset about the fact he was sleeping outside still.

‘Didn’t think of that,’ Saph cursed to herself. Glira had of course complained, but, well, she was a bit of an arse too. Baron though, he didn’t deserve worse hospitality than a slave. That wasn’t right.

“Maybe I should bring you one for next year old sport, if they let you out here again that is of course.”

“If they do not, then they best find a suitable replacement. We need every dragon currently on the island, and I doubt that is to change soon.”

“Right you are, well I suppose a lesser teacher will have to do for the recruits. I am sure they will find someone.”

Baron did raise an eyeridge at that comment but didn’t offer anything further.

“Right, okay, my question now. Why don’t you bring a tarp along if it is so nice ?” Pho tried again, glancing between the red and white dragons.

“It is heavy of course, and I do not plan on staying in the wilds any more than is needed. That and I have cargo to carry of course,” Galaxer deflected with a huff, not paying the young huntress much mind.

“Isn’t that gonna be a bit heavy for a dragon who’s supposed to fight then? I swear I’m not trying to be an arse here.”

‘Well you are failing there Pho,’ Saph grumbled to herself, as she watched Ray look down at the tarp, ears lowering slightly.

Saph knew getting something that big couldn’t have been cheap though. Perhaps the greenhorn did have a point. Tiguan couldn’t even be half the weight of Galaxer. But on the upside he didn’t have a shred of armor to wear, unlike Jarix and especially Grevi, so perhaps it would be fine. Might even make his harness a bit more comfortable. It hadn’t looked to Sapphire like the finest of work.

“I’m sure he will be fine. If luck would have it I’m sure he’ll be sticking around this island for some time. Then he can just leave it at whatever keep is closest to what he’s doing, isn’t that right you old grizzled veteran? You must have done that a few times, no?”

Ray’s ears did raise a little at the hopeful words as she looked to Baron.

“It doesn’t get any worse than he leaves it somewhere for a time if he is expecting battle, no. And I do not believe he has a place of his own in the city yet. If what Galaxer says is true and they have taken new recruits, then the shared stables would be quite packed indeed.”

“Oh yes, a fair few young and old. It seems news of the fighting on the frontier lit a few souls.”

“Indeed. Well in that case he might be most appreciative. Some privacy is always nice, even if it is only a clearing somewhere.”

“Oh that is good, I was worried for a moment there he wouldn’t like it,” Ray said happily, giving the tarp one last final glance. “It looks good too. I am very happy with it.”

“Well then I guess we can knock you off the list as well then. I will tell Carnige. Is this black dragon going to come and get it here?”

“Oh I hope so.”

“He will, ain’t no way he’s heading home for winter without swinging by to say hi. If he ain’t staying the winter that is,” Saph declared. She was quite confident in that statement all things considered. Tiguan was a big softy and Ylditz wouldn’t be able to stand the complaining if they didn’t.

“Very well, will you all put it away or should I take it up to the greeting hall when time allows?”

“Oh if you wouldn’t mind. I think it would be quite hard to get up the stairs.”

“Very well. Perhaps before dinner, I do seem to smell something quite lovely yes.”

“We have some stuff on the spits, yes. I hope you will like it. We know you have flown a long way.”

“Indeed, it is always rough doing such a long stint in one go, and I would hazard a guess we aren’t getting more than a few days here before heading home this time now are we?”

“I wouldn’t be so sure just yet Galaxer,” Saph interjected. “We did find something more down below which they are very busy with.”

“Of course you did. Well I am sure we shall hear more of that very soon. Did you hear that, Arch? More stuff down below,” Galaxer called out towards Arch, who seemed to have been having a conversation with Jarix upon being reunited. He did turn his head towards them to answer though.

“Well yes, there were two more vaults. Did they get them open?”

“Well, did you?” Galaxer questioned, looking down to Sapphire.

“Only the one.”

“Ahr, very well. Maybe a chance of a winter flight out here for the inquisition then, that should pay nicely.”

__________________________________________________________________________________

Tom looked about the library that was now filled with playing children, all having fun with their various new toys. The strange board game pieces were currently being used to depict soldiers around a keep made of wooden blocks, which Tom was quite sure the craftsman who made the set would have been appalled by.

Essy and Lothal had come up to oversee the kids after the unloading had been concluded and all the stuff had been stashed away wherever it was destined. Sadly that meant Tom probably couldn’t put off having that chat with Joelina much longer, though he was seriously considering putting it off till after dinner time. Sadly he had a feeling they might have a drink or two tonight, so that probably wouldn’t be such a great idea.

Vulzan had gone down to assist Arch, promising to bring up Tom’s box of stuff sometime later, after he was assured that they would read the letters he had given them today. The trader had brought it up a few times, so he had probably agreed to make sure Tom did indeed read them.

“I think the quality assurance department has declared the toys satisfactory, don’t you think, Jacky?”

“Well nothing has broken yet, so that’s good,” Jacky replied, stepping aside as a pair of kids came running by with red flags strapped to their tails. Said flags were more dragging along the floor than flapping in the wind, but Tom supposed they weren’t made for running speed.

“No, no, they are being very careful. I must say some of these things are very nice though,” Essy added as she arbitrated just how many pieces Revo and Hulunar could have so they could try actually playing said board game. This was met with vehement opposition from Kiran, who needed every soldier for his keep.

“True that. Well best of luck. I’ll go read the mail, shall we Jacky?” Tom questioned, resigning himself to just getting this over with.

“I suppose we shall, yes,” Jacky grumbled in reply, seeming less than pleased.

The two of them made their way out of the library, leaving the kids in the capable hands of Essy, Apuma, and Lothal.

“Probably best to read the letters first. Upstairs?”

“Let’s. If it says something we don’t like we can always burn it and pretend we didn’t get it then.”

“I somehow doubt that would work, but I suppose,” Tom half-sighed and chuckled.

The two of them made their way up to Jacky’s room as she got out the letters she had stashed away inside her breastplate. Tom shut the door behind them and Jacky laid down the letters on the bed so they could have the sun behind them to help read what they said.

“Right then, what are the chances some of this is good news?”

“About the same as Kalestine deciding that we have been working very hard and she’s going to send a herd of tirox marching past the front door,” Jacky replied as they both took a seat on the bed and Jacky took out her knife.

“You know, maybe Shiva will let you have that fancy one with the ruby in the hilt?” Tom tried in good humor as Jacky set about looking through the envelopes, presumably looking for the oldest.

“I wish. Can you imagine what she would do if I dropped it or something? Maybe for some special occasion.”

“Well, if it can sniff out deer hiding in the bushes then surely it’ll be fine. Are you in the habit of losing things in the forest?”

“It has been some time… but it has happened,” Jacky admitted a little sheepishly as she found what she was looking for and started opening one of the envelopes. Inside there was a folded up crisp white paper.

“Oh my, look at this stuff, it’s almost as nice as some of your paper.”

Tom just nodded, watching as she unfolded it, revealing an utter mess of what Tom could only guess was the equivalent of dragonette cursive. “Oh you have to be shitting me, what the hell is that?” he protested, looking at the nearly impossible to decipher scribbles.

“Fucking city dwellers,” Jacky agreed, squinting as she held the letter up a bit closer. “I guess I need to make Apuma proud.”

“If you could, yeah. I’ve got no chance.”

“Dear Tom. I hope this finds you well. -Oh you wish for that now- Since last we met I have formulated some questions for which I would like you to provide me with an answer. Send your reply via Vulzan if you are able… -What is she on about, she sent us a pair of those earrings?”

“I don’t know… is that it?”

“Well no we got questions you see,” Jacky replied, tapping the paper with the claw on her thumb.

“How do your people know of dragons? Why are infants thrown into pools of water? What is the point of a cat? Where do cars come from? Are they grown? Why is there music everywhere? Is it true that giving birth is truly the most painful thing in the world to a human? -It just goes oon and oooon. Look at this shit, she really fit it in here.” Jacky turned the letter around to Tom to see and it ruely was packed, line after line. “She ran out of space… oh no, bit on the back here. What is the meaning of the combat simulations displayed by the thinking machine, is it training? And why is it not take more seriously if it is? Are you tricking the children into accepting grueling training for more than 12 hours a day?”

“Oh my, yeah she’s in my younger years I guess… I used to love going to the swimming halls, you know… and I might have liked my computer a bit too much.”

“I never would have guessed.”

“Oh come on, it was good fun at the lake.”

“Get me warm water and then we are talking.” Jacky dismissed, looking back to the letter.

“We do have that actually.”

“Oooh.”

“Anyway, next letter please. I have a feeling this isn’t the end of the questions.”

“Yeah probably,” Jacky agreed, trimming the top of the second envelope with a claw and taking out the letter. “Oh she’s uhm… her writing is a bit worse on this one. Where are the ships that breach the heavens and the universe itself? I have seen movies and imagery of them, but never in your memories do they appear! Do they exist?! Are you from a backwards country without lance weapons and teleportation machines? And how were dogs produced from wolves!? I must know this!”

“Oh my… someone has been to the mental cinema I guess… Wait. I thought she already knew about what a movie was? I could have sworn she saw a movie in my memories.”

“Paulin did get to see one if I remember right. She must have told her all important Joelina about it.”

“Yeah…” Tom replied, thinking further on the implications of this. “She is definitely seeing more than I am too. I’ve only seen a few flashes of her childhood and younger days, though it seems to be slowly advancing towards the current time.”

“Maybe she can use her mind magic stuff to see more? I don’t know. I bet you a gold she’s trying to make the dreams worse, not better like us. Maybe it’s driven her a bit mental? Well, more mental.”

“I suppose so yeah… Another one,” Tom replied, gesturing for her to continue.

“Yup. Next one it is… Oh dear. Right.” Jacky squinted at the paper. Tom leaned over and confirmed that the letter was indeed a mess, complete with drips of ink and smudged out symbols. “I ha-have. Discovered. What a motion image is… -Well that’s good-. I understand the art of the computer’s hallucinations. They are not real. But rockets! Are rockets real Tom? Have your people visited the gods! Why is there only one god at the churches where you grew up? Yet there are other churches, the other gods are seen as alien, or different, why? Where are the gods Tom! Why are they disparate!... -Man, I think she’s about lost it.”

“Oh dear… Yeah, might need to clarify some things… And sweep some under the rug. If she’ll even believe me,” Tom said doubtfully, grimacing as he looked at the remaining letter. “Let’s get it over with, last one.”

“Right oh, let’s see what this one says… Oh… I think this one is for you.” She simply turned the letter around and showed the contents, big bold drippy latin letters—in Danish.

“SVAR MIG.”

“What does it say?” Jacky questioned, sounding a touch worried.

“Answer me… I’m guessing this is where she decided on sending those earrings.”

“Ahr yeah that would make sense,” Jacky agreed, glancing at the wooden box which contained the lone earring. “Wait, why did she bother leaving in the first letters when she sent this anyway?”

“I don’t know, why did she feel the need to put childrens toys in the same box as a suit of enchanted half-heretical armor and the blade of... what was he called again?”

“The second most wanted man alive”.

“Yeah that… I don’t think she’s doing so hot.”

“Think she’ll be very mad if you wait till tomorrow?”

“Probably,” Tom conceded as he slid the lid off the box, picking up the small silvery piece of jewelry. He took a deep breath, looking to Jacky. “Right, safeword is spaghetti. If I say it thrice in a row, take it off.”

“Right, sounds like a plan. Good thing Paulin isn’t here, right?”

“Yeah… actually,” he leaned in and whispered, “Go check the corridor, someone might be listening. Quietly.”

“You’re the quiet one,” Jacky complained as she got up, Tom picking up the earring and studying it in his hands.

It had fine intricate runes running along its surface in little channels. It was exquisite handiwork, that much he could tell. ‘And not cheap like we know.’

Jacky went up to the door and with a rapid jerking motion opened it, sticking her head out to glance down either corridor. “All clear…” She pulled her head back in and locked the door. “Put the damn thing on then. No promises I won’t fuck up your ear if I have to rip it off.”

“Rather that than something worse happening. I kinda wished I’d gotten to see more of her life before this.”

“You’re kidding, right?” Jacky questioned as she sat down next to him on the same side where a hole had already been punched for the last time he had a crack at this sorta thing. “You always wake up, shaking, cold, crying, screaming or whatever the fuck might have happened that time. And you want more?”

“Well not that part… I guess she has already been through my memories once before, and not like she knows something about me I don’t… but still would be nice to know how the hell she ended up where she is. She knows that about me.”

“Or how her mentor’s knife ended up at Furlong keep.”

“That too… that too… maybe I’ll be able to ask.”

“You do that… now, get it over with.”

“Right.” Tom held the earring up to his ear and started to fiddle with it a bit. A bit turned into a while and soon enough Jacky grew impatient.

“Really? You can’t put on an earring?”

“It’s not like it’s something I do often. Damn thing is fiddly, don’t wanna break it either.”

“It’s mithril, it won’t just break. Here let me.”

Tom resigned himself to being helped as Jacky quickly put in the little thing and slid in the locking pin. “Right, there you go. Have fun I suppose.”

“Yeah yeah, try not to rip my ear off if I start making funny noises. Remember, safeword is spaghetti.”

“I got it.”

“Right, how was it? I close my eyes an-”

__________________________________________________________________________________

“Anyone seen Tom and Jacky? Dinner is almost ready,” Ray questioned as she came up the stairs from the kitchen into the grand hall where everyone was starting to congregate. Well, all of the dragonettes at least. The dragons had elected to eat all together down in front of the keep, rather than having one or two of them eat in the greeting hall.

That was all the dragons save for Yldril though. She was consigned to her awning and would get what was left over. That should still be a fair bit of food, and certainly better food than she got normally, but Saph doubted it would do much for her demeanor. Said demeanor was why she was consigned however; no one wanted to put up with her at a feast.

“No, we were told not to disturb them. I think they got something to do. They are up in Jacky’s room,” Saph replied on her way to sit down at the huntress table.

“Ahr okay… should I put something aside for them later?”

“That might be best. We don’t know how long they will be.”

“Okay. I’ll be back in a minute then. Tell the others to start taking seats, we are nearly there.”

Saph just nodded and smiled as Ray turned back and hurried down the stairs, but a moment later Balethon and Herron came up said stairs with a spitted deer, which was to be their main course for the day. ‘Oh this should be lovely… Do I wanna try out some of the ham too today I wonder?’

As she sat down at the table it was pretty evident that most of the others had decided that yes, they would be trying out some of the interesting new things they got. It was rather hard to complain after whoever had sold you something had already left.

There had been a lot of chatting and a few good laughs as they all got settled in, and true to Ray’s word they were soon called up to come get their portions of meat and sides. It was good stuff. Someone had snuck in some extra herbs and spices either at the last minute or possibly used the last of old stores now that they knew resupply was coming.

They did have a few guests at the huntress table, namely Udanti and Tirox from Archeon’s crew. They were of course interrogated thoroughly for any news about how things had been going in the world at large.

Tirox spoke highly and with his usual brash bravado about tales of battles fought all along both the frontier and even some middling keeps. He did not seem worried in the slightest, relating victory after victory. Udanti seemed less enthused, and as the meal progressed hushed murmurs and gossiping began to spread among all the tables, as far as Saph could work out from where Udanti was sitting.

Darklings attacking middling keeps, or ring keeps as some would call them, like the one where she grew up. That could not be good. The darklings were growing bolder. Udanti had heard rumors that the guard had suffered losses too. Last time they had received much news of the war, there had been no mention of any defeats by the guard, only keeps raided or besieged. But according to Udanti, an entire combat wing of rookies had not been heard from for some time, and no one was being told what had happened to them.

Tirox didn’t think much of it. Maybe they were just holed up, and even if they had been lost it was only one wing of dragons. That was to be expected in war. By the time the dinner was more or less finished they had also all heard the rumors about Rashan. Bo and Pho had needed to be brought up to speed on just who that was, but everyone who had been with the keep before all this started knew well enough who that was and what this all meant.

“I guess Shiva is gonna need to try again to convince Tom to make that dragon killing cannon then?” Fengi questioned, seeming almost apathetic about it.

“Or something like it,” Essy echoed, nodding as she sipped a cup of a special tea she had bought.

“Don’t push him on that. I’m sure all the stuff we’re already doing will be plenty. There are so many other things he wants to do. Most sound like they would be good news for us too.”

“Yeah speaking of good news, miss silver streak, I heard you found someone special. Where is he at?” Udanti the archer questioned, seemingly wishing to change the subject as well.

“Oh Maiko? I don’t know actually?” Sapphire admitted, looking around to see if he was sitting at the guards table like he usually did, but there was no sign of him.

“I think he is with Yldril,” Fengi added, sipping the tea a little as well. “I’m sure he snuck her some food or something.”

“Maiko got a soft spot for a traitor dragon or something?” Tirox questioned with a huff, tilting his head.

“No, he’s trying to get on her good side. Might be handy one day,” Fengi answered plainly. “… And it might make her a little less insufferable.”

“Oh… I see, so it’s like a mission you put him on?”

Saph wasn’t sure this was something that should be discussed openly at the dinner table, but she wasn’t about to stop Fengi. At least not yet.

“Yes, don’t blab to the dragon about it. Then it won’t work. And her ears are good, remember that.”

“Oh… okay,” the male trader escort replied, looking at Fengi a little confused.

He likely remembered a far happier and more bubbly girl than who was sitting at the table now. Saph sighed to herself. These past months had been hard on Fengi. Very hard. Hopefully things would get better. Maybe they could do something about all that now. Then it clicked for Saph why Fengi might not be so cheery today. It wasn’t just that Yldril had been segregated around the back of the keep.

‘Maybe she got some bad news from those trying to find Dorae for her… Probably best not to bring that up here.’

“Oh yeah by the way, I heard some talk you got the hook up too, didn’t you Fengi?” Udanti questioned, once more trying to steer the conversation back to something positive, obviously not knowing that was a touchy subject.

Fengi put on a forced smile. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to show she at least appreciated the gesture. “I did… it’s been a little rough though with all this… stuff going on…”

“Ooooh riiight,” Udanti replied, seeming to catch on now. “I’m guessing he isn’t much for getting bossed around.”

Before Fengi could reply, Essy interjected. “Oh no, quite the opposite. He’s a right little knight so he is. But he is at times a bit of a… oh speak of the devil,” she carried on, her gaze carrying past Udanti to the young guard approaching the huntress table. Saph spied a familiar looking small box in the palm of one of his hands.

By the time he made it up to the table all heads were turned to look at the young man, which seemed to unnerve him just a touch, which was understandable to be fair.

“Hi uhm… Okay. So many more people hehe… Right,” he went, seeming to steel himself, Fengi turning around fully on the bench to face him. “I know what you think of me… that I’m a weak willed coward… I’m sorry. I’ll try to do better, but I can’t promise anything. Here,” he went, holding out the little box towards Fengi. “I know you don’t like flowers much… So I got you this instead.”

There was perfect silence at the table, especially from the trader escorts who had no clue what was going on. Fengi gingerly held out a hand and took the box, looking up at Unkai with a curious expression then down to the box as she opened it, revealing a beautiful pair of silver earrings with rectangular cut emeralds set in them.

“I hope you like them.”

Fengi stared at them for a moment, one hand going up to touch the plain copper ones she wore most days. Saph couldn’t actually remember, but she guessed Shiva had made them some time back. They were not overly remarkable, almost rugged looking by comparison to the new silver ones.

“I love them,” Fengi finally declared just as it seemed like Unkai was losing hope. Looking up at him she wore a far more genuine smile than before. “Though I could do with some flowers too one of these days. Those times were simpler.”

The guard let out a slight involuntary chuckle and nodded. “I think I can manage flowers.”

“You used to be quite good at picking out the prettiest ones,” Essy added in her motherly tone. “Maybe there are still a few who haven’t succumbed to the cold and rain.”

Fengi took one of the earrings out of the box and held it up to her ear, looking around at them all. “How do they look?”

“Elegant,” Saph said, nodding her approval. It was the truth. They weren’t overly ostentatious, and they wouldn’t have suited Fengi if they were. And who knew, with everything happening at the keep, she might find herself with a matching silver crown before too long. “Silver suits you.”

Fengi even let out a little giggle at that, putting it gingerly back in the box and looking back to Unkai, who had not moved a muscle, probably having run out of planning 30 seconds ago. And Fengi’s smile faded a touch. “I’m sorry but… I didn’t think to get you anything special…”

Unkai had seemed worried for a second as her smile had faded, but livened right back up as the reason was made plain. “Oh don’t worry about that…just try not to hate me. That will be plenty.”

Fengi’s smile faded a little further. “I don’t hate you, I’m sorry if you thought that.”

Saph and the others did exchange some glances. There could be no doubt they had been hard on the guy, but it did seem to have worked.

“No no, it is okay. I get it… I was a jerk… I might be again. But I’ll try not to be, okay?”

“I guess I’ll try not to be so scary… no promises either.”

‘Awww that’s nice,’ Sapphire mused to herself, a smile starting to grow. ‘Ooh I wonder if Maiko got me something?’

__________________________________________________________________________________