Here There be Dragons: Testing the Waters

Traveling in the brutal wind, dragging Basiano behind them, was slower than Nereida had anticipated. The two to three day journey had become a five day one. They had run out of food and water, and were running on whatever reserves they had left. Nereida’s lizard foot bled inside her ill-fitted boot, but she had not told Caleb about that. He’d make her stop to treat it, stop to rest, and without food or water that was doom. So she forced herself onward.

They finally, finally, reached the crest of the road that looked down on the sleepy little village that Caleb was from. His parents and sister lived in the large manor home that overlooked the village proper. They could see it from the road, though the village lay between them and the warmth of the hearth.

“I can get someone to come help us pull,” Caleb offered as Nereida sank onto a snow-covered boulder. Her arms were burning. She wanted to tell him they could manage, that she could manage, but she had reached her limit.

“I’ll keep him safe,” she said instead. “Go.”

Caleb trotted off, leaving Nereida shivering in the snow. She spoke to Basiano’s frozen form, hoping her brother could hear her. She told him she missed him, missed when they were on the ship, that she regretted not getting to know his children because she had been gone.

“If your passenger had been reasonable, we wouldn’t be here,” she groused, kicking at the crusty snow. “I would not be away from my children, my wife, my family that you crossed the ocean to bring me back to….” She stomped a particularly crusty bit of snow, enjoying the sound. “I wouldn’t be powerless, hurting and so… urg!” She gave up on words, deciding to kick the snow a few more times for good measure.

After about an hour, Caleb returned on a sled pulled by dogs. There were three such sleds, each pulled by 8 large, exceedingly fluffy dogs. One of the drivers, geared in warm leathers and furs that covered their face, handed Nereida a blanket and helped her get in. These sleds were designed for travel, and were filled with rags to keep her from sitting on the cold, hard wood. It took two of the drivers to load Basiano onto the last sled, a larger, more open one without rags or padding. Caleb and the drivers covered Basiano with large blankets, until he was completely obscured, before they tied him down to the sled so he would not slip off.

Soon they were clipping down the mountain. The dogs seemed to love their work, their tongues hanging free as they ran as a pack, pulling along the sleds. The little village, Starvale, was a mining town in the warm months. Now it looked like a painting, covered in fresh, sparkling snow in the dying light of day. Some folks milled about but mostly things were quiet. People would be spinning, mending, telling stories by the fireside. No one was interested in being out in the frozen air. They were brought up to the manor, where a contingent of guards and the Lord and Lady of the home were waiting for them. It was as close to a Royal welcome as anyone could expect given the lack of warning.

There was a flurry of activity, as Nereida, Basiano and Caleb were brought inside to a roaring, blessedly warm fire lit by Lord Eduardo. They were brought tea, clean, warm blankets, and Lady Leona brought one of her night gowns to Nereida, offering to help her change. They were welcoming, friendly, with bright smiles on their faces. But Nereida also did not miss the way they stiffened when she dropped her hood, showing her blue skin. Nereida declined any maids to help her change, and that was met with protestations about her station, until Nereida, patience worn away, snapped.

“I am capable of dressing myself.” The Lady Leona sniffed, but relented at last, looking affronted that her hospitality was being denied. Nereida, with super-human effort, modulated her tone. “But I would love to take tea with you once I am refreshed. Say, in an hour, if that is acceptable? Perhaps with a light snack, we have not had dinner yet.”

“Of course, Princess, it would be my honour.”

Nereida found herself in a small guest room, with clean clothing and a wash basin. She took time to peel her boot off, tending to the blistered sides of her lizard foot. She winced as she worked, accidentally popping yet another blister. She wrapped her foot in gauze from her pack, and was, at last, able to put the foot in a slipper. She cleaned her face, combed her hair and tied it back as best she could with the little polished silver mirror as her only guide. She slipped into the night gown, and pulled a cloak over it. She was still shivering, even after nearly an hour indoors, as if her body was stuck in the memory of being cold. The room was quiet, so quiet. She could not hear the ocean, not even as an echo, and without her magic she had lost the songs. She wanted so desperately to get back, to where she could at least hear the waves.

In the quiet, she could think, and she didn’t want to think. She did not want to wonder how her wife and children were doing without her. She did not want to worry about whether she could save her brother without dooming their people to losing their fire. They had their powers because of the dragons, after all. If the dragon was truly dead, would the power leave, or had the power become theirs somewhere along the way?

A knock at the door startled her out of her thoughts.

“Come in,” she called, trying to get up from her stool. But her injured foot gave out from under her, and she fell onto the hard wood floor, spilling the waterbasin as she went.

“Oh, Princess!” It was Caleb’s sister Mira who came rushing in. She was younger than Nereida, nearing thirty, with dark hair tied up in a single thick braid. She was dressed in trousers, a tunic and a jacket. The woman was at Nereida’s side in an instant, helping her up. Her hands were calloused and rough, and she froze mid-lift, dropping Nereida again with a gasp. “Your leg!” Nereida swallowed as a wave of embarrassment washed over her.

“It’s nothing, just some blisters from travelling,” she said, as if that was the only issue. As if Mira could not see the scales.

“Who did this to you?” Mira’s voice was low, calm and steady.

“I lost my leg to demons,” Nereida replied, heat crawling up her neck and face. “This is… this is what I was given in return.”

“Siren magic?” Mira knelt beside her, offering her hand once more. Nereida took it, noticing how strong Mira’s arms were beneath her jacket. She was built like Epelda, lithe but powerful.

“More complicated than that. But… it was meant as a gift.” Nereida did not want to get into it all, not now. She slowly got to her feet, straightening her dress as she stood to hide the leg. Her face still burned red, but it was receding.

“Will it… spread?” Mira’s voice shook slightly on her words. Nereida looked away from the other woman, not wanting to see fear burning in her eyes.

“I’m not diseased, and it will not spread to you.”

“I meant… will it take you over?”

Nereida looked up at the earnest, sad eyes of Caleb’s sister. Mira held out a hand, as if to offer a lifeline.

“No,” Nereida replied softly. “The magic changed what it will.” She smiled a little, but could not bring herself to mean the smile. After all, Mira had hit on something Nereida had never dared to think on before. What if the Ocean was trying to make Nereida more like the dragon? The fear of it washed over her, and so she focused on the only person in the room. Mira.

“Tea with your mother?” Nereida suggested lightly. “I’m a little hungry.” It was a courtly understatement, and Mira barked a very un-courtly laugh.

“Given that my brother said neither of you have eaten since yesterday, I imagine so. Come on, we’ll stop at the kitchen on the way to tea, and get some jerked meat and dried fruit into you. A singular tea cake isn’t going to keep you from fainting.” Nereida snickered at that, feeling relieved as she followed Mira out.

Her stomach settled with dried meat and fruit, Nereida was far better able to keep up her courtly manners around the Lady of the House. Lady Leona was as old as her mother, with laugh lines around her eyes. She spoke happily of her village’s success as Mira poured the tea on her behalf. Mira was quiet the whole time, sitting back unless she was serving her mother or Nereida. She fetched more tea when theirs ran out. Lady Leona spoke about Caleb’s children with great pride, but never once mentioned if her daughter was married or had children of her own. Caleb arrived after their first refill of tea, looking far more like himself. The ice was gone from his hair.

“Mother,” he greeted stiffly. Something flashed in her eyes, but Nereida wasn’t sure what to make of the woman’s momentarily frosty expression. Mira shifted uncomfortably, inching back.

“My son, it is good to see you.” Her tone was warm, but rang hollow in a way that Nereida could not pinpoint.

“Mira,” he smiled at her, a gentle, sad smile. She smiled back tentatively, pouring him tea as well without a word. He reached for the tea cup carefully.

“What brings you to visit us, Princess?” Lady Leona asked, her tone airy and light. But Nereida did not miss the way the woman’s hands tightened around her cup, how her nostrils flared just a bit. She was expecting bad news. “How can we assist our soon to be King?” The lady’s voice dropped low.

“He is cursed,” Nereida said simply. It was not, perhaps, the most true thing she had ever said, but she did not wish to rehash the whole sordid tale, nor did she want to tell them more than was strictly necessary. “Tomorrow, we will start looking for the object required to break the curse. But today, we need to rest. The journey was rough.”

“You came so far without servants.” The older woman clucked her tongue in obvious disdain.

“Not all ears and eyes can be trusted.” Again it was not quite the reason, but Nereida felt ill at ease. That truism could apply to anyone here. “We mitigated the danger as much as possible. But, I must beg your forgiveness; I am exhausted. Might we converse tomorrow?”

“Of course, Princess! It was kind you came to tea with an old woman. Mira, see her to her chamber, would you? That’s a darling girl.” And the Lady stood, practically floating out of the room, her voluminous skirts billowing around her dramatically as she left. Nereida gave a small smile to Caleb, and allowed Mira to take her to her room.

Once they were nearly there, Nereida slowed her pace so that Mira could walk alongside her. The other woman tried to correct her own steps to stay two paces behind.

“You don’t need to do that,” Nereida said after a moment. “This is your home, not high court.”

“Mother made sure I’d remember my place, Princess. I don’t mind.” But there was an edge to her words, emotions that she was trying to keep hidden.

“I do.” Nereida took another step, and this time Mira allowed her to close the distance, though she looked uncomfortable. “I’m here for you, Mira, not your mother.”

“I’m no one.” She said it with the sad, quiet confidence of someone who believed it. Nereida’s heart broke for the younger woman. How long had they been telling her she was nothing?

“You’re a sylph.” Nereida kept her voice low, and watched for Mira’s reaction. It was immediate. She took a step back, as if Nereida might set her aflame. Nereida plowed on, though first she switched to signing the Sylph language. “My daughter, Epelda,” she finger-spelled the name, “is a sylph too. Winged. I need the Sword.”

“Which sword?” The words were signed slowly, as if she was out of practice. Nereida smiled sadly.

“Fire’s End.”

Mira went still, and her expression hardened.

“You don’t know what you are asking.” Her voice was cold, and she straightened herself in a way that made Nereida nervous. It made her think of Aella when she put on her “Admiral” persona. Her heart twinged at the thought of her wife. Aella was probably going mad with worry. “Outsiders are not permitted.”

“I’m not of the Stars. I’m of the Ocean.”

“Still an outsider.” Mira crossed her arms.

They stood in the hallway, staring at each other. Mira was taller than her by a head and a half, but she lacked the broad shoulders that her brother and father had.

“Is there… is there someone you could ask? A guardian?” Nereida suggested. “Please… I need it to cut something from my brother. You have a big brother. You’d do crazy things for him, wouldn’t you?” There was a long moment where Mira simply stared at her. Nereida stared back, not willing to be the first to back down. Eventually, Mira let out a long, low sigh.

“I can ask, Princess. But that’s all I can do.”