The Dragon's Promise

Chapter Two

Teekra and the children sat down to lunch in the fields outside the village. After eating, Teekra set out to organize the roots she had gathered. Tomah sat carving and Geni wandered off exploring. Teekra was so busy that she didn't hear the pony until it was almost on them.

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Kelvin raced his pony across the fields. He felt a breeze on his face and could almost imagine that he was flying. It wasn't until he was almost on them that he saw his mother and Tomah. He swerved his pony out of their path and called for Beaner to slow down. Teekra saw the pony coming and looked around for her children. Tomah was beside her, but Geni was no where to be seen. Kelvin swerved to the left barely missing them and rode towards the creek. Just then Teekra saw Geni stand up, she was in the direct path of the pony! Teekra called out but the sound of the pony drowned out her voice. All time slowed down and she could only watch as mere seconds became minutes, hours, even sun-cycles.

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Geni sat by the creek bed watching a butterfly. She had spent ten minutes following it and was about to pick it up. Suddenly a loud rumbling sound scared it away. Annoyed at her loss she turned around only to see Kelvin's pony coming down on her. In her anger and her fear Geni thrust up her arms and ordered the pony to stop. Black clouds formed and electricity danced in the air. The pony stopped abruptly as if hitting a wall, throwing Kelvin forward into the creek. Geni stood with her arms outstretched struggling to control the magic that had been unleashed inside her. Finally she gained control of her emotions releasing the rest of the magic into the air. With one final burst of lightning it was over almost as quickly as it had began. Geni's body released of the energy, collapsed and fell to the ground.

Teekra ran to her daughter and ordered Tomah to grab her bag and some water. She made a horrible smelling medicine and held Geni's head, forcing her to drink. Softly she began to sing a strange song as she held her hands over her daughter. A light blue glow moved from Teekra's hands into Geni's body and she grew stronger as her mother's energy poured into her. The song ended and Teekra fell back, exhausted but relieved, knowing that her daughter would be all right.

Kelvin climbed out of the creek and lay by the bank. He had a cut on his arm and his head ached where a nice new bruise throbbed as proof of his bad luck. To make things worse, the sunny day had suddenly turned to rain. He was wet and it looked like his sister and his mother would be riding his pony home.

Tomah washed Kelvin's arm and wrapped it with a bandage. He gave him a wet cloth for his head, then sat back and stared at his mother and sister. “What a day!” He could hardly wait to get home to tell Athena.

Beaner was restless, the sudden change in the weather troubled her. She whinnied and pranced around, jumping at the smallest sound. Thunder rumbled and the sky was turning an ugly black.

“It's time to go.” Teekra gathered her bags and waited by the mount. “Tomah help me with your sister.”

Geni pushed him away and walked to the pony herself. Beaner wasn't particularly happy about carrying two people but she was glad to be going home.

Teekra was troubled. All that magic in one little girl. Too much power! Was she the only one who felt it? Were they far enough away from civilization for it to go unnoticed? Even now she couldn't fathom the full meaning of it all. Geni had changed the weather! Perhaps for more than one sunset! Teekra knew one thing for sure. No one must know, no one must ever know of the power her daughter possessed

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“Did you feel it?”

“Yes master I felt it.”

“It is the one I've been searching for! Who is it? Is he a sage? Is he from the College? Why haven't we heard of him? I must have that power, DO YOU HEAR ME? I must know who he is!”

“But Master how do I find him?”

“Follow the trail! His magic is like a beacon, use your instinct! You must leave at once.”

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Tomah put Beaner into the barn just as the clouds burst into full rain. He pulled his cloak over his head and ran into the house. “Hi Grandma, how long have you been here?”

Lillygale handed him a blanket as he walked into the house. “Long enough to get a good fire going. Come sit down and warm up before you catch yourself the death of a cold”

“Where's Mom?” He asked as he wrapped himself in the blanket.

“She's laying down resting. I'm going up to take care of Kelvin. When the water boils, pour some into this cup and bring it to me.” Lillygale turned to Athena. “You come with me and watch, one day you may need to know how to do this and I won't always be around.”

“Come on Grandma,” scolded Athena. “You're not going anywhere.”

The healer looked at her granddaughter and nodded her head. “That is precisely the point I'm making.” Lillygale washed Kelvin's cut. "Athena, hand me my bag. See that root there? What is it called?”

Athena shrugged, “It's that stuff Mom uses to kill pain”

“Wrong.” Kelvin laughed then held his head, “Aww, it even hurts to laugh. That root is called Bitter Sweet and it is used to make bad medicine taste good. If you listened to Mom, you'd know that the root you are talking about has little red hairy roots. This one has yellow.”

Lillygale pulled out another root and showed it to Kelvin. “Is this the one that kills pain?” Kelvin nodded.

“Wrong. This is fools Jenarva. It has red hairy roots but if you look close, you'll see at the end where the plant goes to the surface it has two shoots. Jenarva has only one shoot. If fools Jenarva is applied to a wound it will temporarily numb the pain while sending a poison into the blood stream. This poison will render the victim helpless. He will break into a fever for two days before dying an agonizing death...unless he is treated.”

Athena looked at her Grandmother. “How do you treat him?”

Lillygale smiled, “so you are interested!”

Athena rolled her eyes “Yes, Grandma I'm interested. Mom never told me about all that stuff, she just makes me learn chants and boring recipes.”

Lillygale‘s eyes became serious. “Someday you may save someone’s life with 'boring recipes and chants'.”

“In this village?” Athena laughed, “Sure Grandma from what, boredom?”

Lillygale put the root back into her bag. “One never knows where ones knowledge will help oneself, or where ones path will lead.” Lillygale looked long and hard at her granddaughter. “I see trouble in your future, soon you will be facing an enemy of greater power than I have had yet to face. I wish that I could be there to help, but you will not be alone. If you need my help close your eyes and call. I will not leave you in your hour of need. Now where were we. Oh yes, the antidote for fools Jenarva. take a cup of pine needle tea, sweeten to taste if you like, and add a pinch of shepherds spice.”

Kelvin thought the recipe a little too easy. “Is that it Grandma?”

“No,” she replied “There is one final ingredient and without it, the medicine won't work.”

Athena tried to hide her interest by yawning. “So Grandma what is it?”

“A single tear.”

“You mean I have to cry? Forget it the guy's as good as dead.”

Kelvin laughed. “She's not kidding, the day I see her cry is the day I knit a sweater.”

Lillygale smiled, “what color?”

“Huh?”

“I said what color.”

Kelvin looked at his grandmother. “What do you mean”

Lillygale turned back to her bag. “What color is the sweater you are going to knit me?”

Tomah walked into the room on time to hear everyone laughing. “It looks like you're having a big party in here, are you sure you still need this stuff?”

Lillygale took the cup and gave it to Kelvin to drink. “This will give you strength.” She then applied Janarva, some powder mixed with oils and a bandage to his cut. Lillygale softly sang a song while she held her hands above Kelvin's wounds. A moment later and it was all over. “Sleep boy, and we'll talk later.” Kelvin tried to protest but it was no use, no one ever won a argument with Lillygale.


Copyright Sandy Jasper 2001






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