dragon archives 04 - dance with a dragon Read online

  “Ah,” Bronwyn said, “that feels so good.” Stepping back onto the bank, she shrugged out of her kirtle, and with just her chemise covering her body, stepped back into the water, sinking down to her knees. At its deepest point, the water reached her chest, and she dropped her body lower, letting the coolness wash around her.

  “I thought you didn’t feel the heat,” Anna said with a laugh.

  “I don’t really,” Bronwyn said, dropping her head back in the water. “It’s just that my skin is so itchy.”

  “Do you have a rash? You should ask your grandmother for a balm.”

  “There isn’t much Grandmother can do for me.” She moved closer to Anna and held out her hand. “Look.”

  Just beneath the surface of Bronwyn’s skin Anna could see faint circles swooping around her hand and up her arm. Reaching out a finger, she touched Bronwyn’s skin, drawing back in surprise when she felt how hot it was. She glanced up at the girl, startled.

  “What’s it caused by?” Anna said.

  “Scales.”

  “Scales?”

  Bronwyn’s eyes were closed as she held her head back. “Mmm hmm.”

  “Then … you’re already … you’ve already started changing.” Bronwyn opened her eyes and turned to look at Anna. Faint specks of yellow showed against the blue. How had Anna not noticed that before?

  “Yes,” Bronwyn said. “It won’t be long before I will be flying like Will.” She pulled herself out of the water, the thin fabric of her chemise steaming. “But I will be a much better dragon than him.”

  “Oh, uh, I’m sure you will,” Anna said. Although only thirteen, Bronwyn was moving into a world in which Anna had no part – she would be nothing but an outsider looking in, and she felt a moment of sadness. “Are you ready to carry on riding?” Anna asked.

  “Yes,” Bronwyn said, pulling on her kirtle.

  They mounted their horses and nudged them into the river. The splashing water wet the hem of Anna’s gown but she scarcely noticed. She rode ahead of Bronwyn, leading her horse towards the shallow rocks on the other bank and onto the deep path that cut through a steep cliff rising above the river on the other side.

  Anna felt her horse’s hooves slip slightly in the loose sand, and then they were moving, quickly climbing the ridge.

  She gained the height and paused, turning to watch as Bronwyn nudged her horse forward. Water from Anna’s horse had made the path slicker, and Bronwyn’s horse struggled for a moment to find a firm footing.

  Bronwyn was a few feet from the top when it happened: a hawk, tracking a small animal in the grass, suddenly dived down towards the cliff, missing Bronwyn and her horse by a mere few inches. Bronwyn ducked and clutched the reins close to her chest, and the horse reared.

  It lost its footing and plunged backwards down the cliff, landing on its back. Bronwyn screamed as the horse rolled onto its side, trapping her legs.

  The horse slipped further down the hill as it struggled to regain its footing, keeping Bronwyn pinned against the stony ground.

  In horror Anna jumped from her horse and stumbled to the edge of the cliff, shouting Bronwyn’s name. Bronwyn’s eyes were wide with fright and pain as she struggled to pull herself free. Anna started down the cliff, half-slipping, half-scrambling, grabbing whatever there was at the side of the path to prevent her own fall – rocks, tufts of grass and small bushes.

  Anna reached the horse, grabbed the reins and pulled as hard as she could. The horse lifted its head and Anna shouted to Bronwyn to move – but the effort was too much for the horse, and it dropped its weight down again. There was a loud crunching and Bronwyn screamed.

  Again Anna tugged on the reins, placing her feet against a rock as leverage. The horse lifted its head and this time heaved itself higher into the air. Anna closed her eyes as she mustered every ounce of energy she possessed, and pulled harder. She could feel the horse rising another few inches.

  “Move!” she yelled. She opened her eyes, but could not see Bronwyn.

  She glanced around, wondering if she had made her escape, when the air was suddenly filled with flames. They seared across her skin, and she dropped the reins once more, but instead of falling back, the horse lurched to its feet.

  More flames rolled through the air, and the horse screamed as it leaped into the river below and took off at a frantic pace. It was not the horse that Anna took note of, however, but the raging dragon that had risen into the air above her. The dragon’s head swung from side to side, and flames spewed with every breath, setting alight the grass and scrub on the cliff. Huge wings were open on her back, holding her aloft in the air above Anna.

  “Bronwyn,” Anna screamed, and the blazing eyes swung in her direction. The dragon roared, then plunging forward, threw a searing blaze in Anna’s direction. Terror gripped her as she dropped to her knees, then scrambling on her hands and feet, climbed her way back up the path. Fear gave her renewed energy, and she quickly gained the ridge, then rolled away when she felt the heat of searing flames inches above her. She rose to her feet, and waved her hands in the air.

  “Bronwyn,” she screamed again. The dragon was racing through the air towards her, talons outstretched, and Anna gave up any further attempts to try and reason with the beast. She turned and ran, ducking when she heard the dragon roar once more. “Favian,” she screamed. “Help!” It was only a matter of seconds before the flaming dragon reached her. “Favian!” she screamed once more. She felt something swoop low over her, and she dropped down to the ground, covering her head with her hands, but then a loud clash rang through the air. She glanced over her shoulder. A huge red dragon was on top of the smaller one, pushing it down to the ground. With a sob Anna rolled over, and drawing her knees up against her chest, watched the two dragons as the tears streamed down her face, unheeded.

  Now that she was no longer running, Anna could see that Bronwyn’s hide was a rose-bronze color. Like the other dragons, she had horns that rose from the top of her head, but they were smaller and not quite as lethal-looking. Her wings, outstretched a moment ago, were now folded over her back. Favian had landed on top of her, and she lay on the ground, quivering. Her eyes were no longer blazing, but were yellow. She closed them and lay still beneath the weight of her father, her neck stretched out on the ground. Slowly, Favian pulled his weight off her. He stood for a moment watching her, then glanced towards Anna, who was still curled up on the ground.

  “Are you hurt?” he asked. She shook her head no. “Close your eyes,” he instructed. She did and a bright light flared through the air, then died away. When Anna opened her eyes again, Favian was in his human form, crouching next to the head of the dragon.

  “It’s all right, baby,” he crooned. “You’re fine.” He ran his hand down the length of the dragon’s neck, and then up to her skull. She shuddered slightly, then opened her eyes, staring at her father.

  “Anna?” she whispered.

  “Anna’s right here,” Favian replied. “She’s fine. Just a little surprised.” He glanced back at Anna with a slight smile, then turned back to his daughter. “Do you think you can change again?”

  “I’m … I’m not sure.” He ran his hand back down the length of her neck.

  “Whenever you’re ready. Just close your eyes, and imagine yourself in your human form. Don’t force it; just feel it.” Bronwyn stared at him for a moment, then closed her eyes. “That’s right,” he said. “Take a deep breath, and imagine you are going for a swim in the lake. Stretch out your arms – do you see them? And dip your toes in the water.”

  As Anna watched, she saw the air around Bronwyn start to shimmer, then glow, and she closed her eyes in the instant before a white light brightened the sky. She waited a moment for the light to fade, then opened them. Favian had pulled his little girl into his arms and was stroking her hair.

  “Papa,” she said. “I don’t know what happened.” Her eyes fell on Anna, and they widened slightly, before she buried her face in Favian’s shoulder. “I’m so sor
ry,” she said.

  “It’s all right,” Favian repeated.

  Anna watched in silence, uncomfortable and uncertain. Bronwyn’s clothes had been shredded when she changed, leaving her naked. Favian had managed to grab a length of fabric and wrap it around his waist, but Bronwyn’s body was exposed. With a shrug, Anna pulled off her kirtle, leaving only her linen chemise. She stepped over to the girl, gently pulling her from Favian’s grasp and dragging the kirtle over her shoulders. Bronwyn looked up, startled, and then gave a tentative smile. Her face was streaked with tears, and Anna pulled her into an embrace. She still could not believe what she had seen, nor Bronwyn’s actions when she’d changed, but she knew that despite what had happened, Bronwyn was still a young girl, just as shocked by the turn of events as herself.

  “It’s all right,” she said. “Everything will be all right.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Bronwyn whispered. “I didn’t know what I was doing.”

  “I know,” Anna said. She swallowed hard. “I know you didn’t mean to hurt me. Next time you will be more in control.” She glanced at Favian as she said this, and he nodded his head in confirmation. “And,” Anna said, dropping her voice to a whisper, “you are a beautiful dragon.”

  Bronwyn pulled away slightly. “Really?” she said.

  “Absolutely!” Out of the corner of her eye, Anna saw Favian smile. “Where is Will?” she asked.

  “I told him to wait for me. But what were you doing here?”

  “We were going for a ride. Bronwyn’s horse fell down the slope and landed on her. That’s when …”

  Favian nodded. “That makes sense. Fear will often trigger the first change.” He glanced at Bronwyn. “You were scared when the horse fell?”

  Bronwyn nodded. “It fell on top of me – the pain was agonizing. Then all I could see was orange. I didn’t even know what I was doing.” Her voice trailed to a whisper and she dropped her head.

  “You didn’t do anything a dragon changing for the first time wouldn’t do,” Favian said, pulling her close and dropping a kiss on her forehead. Bronwyn looked up with a tentative smile, and Anna squeezed her hand before looking around. She could see her horse in the distance, but of Bronwyn’s there was no sign.

  “Your horse must have bolted,” she said to Bronwyn. Favian lifted his head and sniffed the air, meeting Anna’s amused glance with a shrug.

  “It hasn’t gone far. I’ll find it for you, and bring it back while you round up the other horse.”

  Anna nodded, and with one last squeeze of Bronwyn’s hand, headed towards her horse, which was quietly grazing on some nearby grass. It looked up when Anna approached, then dropped its head again as it continued to graze, allowing Anna to grab its reins and lead it back to where Bronwyn stood. Below the ridge on the other side of the river she saw Favian leading the second horse. His hand was holding up the strip of fabric he had tied around his waist, and he looked up at Anna with a sheepish grin.

  “I would offer to walk back with you, but I think it would be better if I accompanied you in my natural form.” Anna nodded, and turning her head away, waited for the flash of light. The dragon changed, and when she looked back, he was already in the sky. In the distance another dragon could be seen hovering, and with a movement of his head, Favian called him over.

  “It looks like your sister will soon be racing you,” Favian said as Will drew near, and Anna turned away in amusement when she saw the dragon scowl. “Don’t say anything to your mother about this until Bronwyn and I have had a chance to talk to her,” he warned, and Will nodded. He looked down at Bronwyn, who met his gaze with eyebrows lifted, and he turned away, slowly spiraling in the sky in the direction of the house.

  Favian flew just above Anna and Bronwyn as they journeyed back to the house. Anna rode behind, and she looked at Bronwyn wonderingly. There was nothing about her now to suggest that she had turned into a dragon just minutes before. Instead, all someone would see was a disheveled thirteen-year-old girl – certainly not a terrifying or threatening monster. As they approached the house, Favian swooped lower. “I will find your mother and meet you in your chambers,” he said. Bronwyn nodded, and then Favian flew off, heading towards the flat roof of the house. It was there that the dragons were completely hidden when they changed form, although Anna supposed that the humans at Drake Manor had by now figured out the dragons’ secret, but a combination of loyalty and fear kept them silent.

  A stablehand came out to meet the two returning women, and they slid off their saddles, handing over the reins. The boy’s eyes widened as he took in their unusual attire, but he said nothing. Bronwyn gave Anna a shy smile before turning on her heel and running into the house, disappearing into the shadows.

  A few hours had passed when Favian sought Anna out. “I just wanted to thank you for being so kind to Bronwyn earlier,” he said. “I can only imagine how scared you felt when she turned on you.”

  Anna shrugged. “I could see she didn’t know me. I’m just glad you arrived when you did.” Favian gave her a wry smile. “Why is Bronwyn already changing? I remember Max telling me…” she paused for a brief moment, pulling in a short, quick breath, “…telling me he was fifteen when he first changed. And Will is fifteen, too.”

  “Girls usually change earlier than boys,” Favian said, “and sometimes when a pubescent dragon is scared or startled, it can trigger the change even earlier.”

  “And that’s what happened to Bronwyn?”

  “Yes. But as you said, the next time she will have more control. She won’t lose herself again. You have nothing to fear.”

  Anna smiled. Favian’s reassurance calmed the fear she hadn’t wanted to admit – that she was scared of a young girl.

  Chapter 12

  A week had passed when Cathryn found Anna seated in the parlor early one morning.

  “I’m going into the city. Would you like to join me?”

  Anna jumped to her feet. “Yes, when do we leave, and how long are we going for?”

  Cathryn laughed. “We will leave in an hour, and we will stay one night.”

  “Perhaps I can call on Kathleen while I’m there.”

  “Kathleen?”

  “The girl I met at the coronation ball. I gave her my word I would call on her when I’m in the city. I’ll send her a note when I arrive. How are we traveling?”

  “Favian will take us.”

  “Favian? Is he staying?”

  “No. He doesn’t want to leave Bronwyn for too long.” Cathryn sighed. “At the moment, I’m not much use to my daughter. It’s her father who is helping her through this.”

  Anna walked over to Cathryn and grabbed her hands. “I have no experience with either teenage girls or teenage dragons, but one thing I always wished for, and Keira too, was the knowledge that our mother would always give us her love and support. We didn’t have that, but Bronwyn does. So you are helping her, even if you cannot show her how to hunt a stag.”

  “Thank you, Anna,” Cathryn said softly.

  Anna was ready to leave before the hour was up, and she went outside to wait in the sun. She heard someone come out the door, and turned to see Bronwyn.

  “How is our young dragon, this morning?” she said with a smile.

  Bronwyn smiled for a brief moment, then turned away. “I wish you hadn’t been there to see me like that,” she said.

  “Me too,” Anna said. She met the girl’s startled gaze. “I know it makes you feel bad,” she said, “and I don’t want you to be upset about what happened. You are a dragon, a beautiful dragon, and if I’m honest, I’m a little jealous.”

  “Jealous? Why?”

  “I will always just be me,” Anna said. “Plain old Anna. I will never have wings to fly me wherever I want to go. And in another fifty years or so, I’ll be dead from old age, but you will still be young and beautiful.”

  “Oh.” Bronwyn dropped her eyes to the ground, watching as an ant scurried over the stones. “I like being a dragon,” she said, “but somet
imes I wish I was just plain old Bronwyn, like other girls my age.”

  “Well,” Anna said slowly, “I suppose you will just have to be the best dragon you can be, and I will be the best human I can be.” Bronwyn nodded, but remained silent as Cathryn came out of the house. The sound of heavy wings beating the air made Anna look up, then cover her eyes from the dust that swirled as Favian landed gracefully beside them.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow,” Anna said to Bronwyn. The girl nodded, then turned away and disappeared into the house.

  It was mid-morning when Favian, Cathryn and Anna walked into Civitas, and already the streets were teeming with people. The cries of hawkers mingled with the sounds of horses and carriages, and joined together with the hubbub of the streets to create a rhythmic vibe to the city. Their path took them along the river and past the cathedral, before they turned onto the wide avenue where Drake House stood.

  Anna did not waste any time sending a letter to Kathleen, and an hour after she sent it, she received a reply. ‘I anxiously await your arrival,’ it read.

  “How do I get to Hobart House?” she asked Cathryn and Favian after she had shown them the note.

  “Hobart House, hmm? I’ll take you,” Favian said. “I’m leaving now and it is on my way.” He paused a moment to give Cathryn a lingering kiss, before motioning Anna towards the door. They may have been married for seventeen years, but their affection for each other was clearly evident.

  Hobart House was situated next to the river in the same direction as the palace, and half an hour later, Favian was walking Anna up the stairs to the entrance, pounding on the door with his fist. The door was opened by a uniformed butler, who stared at the visitors on the steps with a frown.

  “Lady Kathleen,” Anna said, and after a long pause, the man step aside and ushered them into the hall, where he left them. Huge tapestries, worked in bright hues, ran down the length of the room, and Favian looked at them appreciatively, before lifting his head to examine the carved beams that spanned the ceiling. At the sound of footsteps Anna swung around, smiling at Kathleen as she approached, eyeing Favian nervously.