A Dragon's Promise

Chapter Three

DREAMS OF THE PAST

Teekra lay down in her bed and stared up at the ceiling. She was exhausted from healing her daughter and would need a few hours sleep to get her strength back. She pulled her blankets up and snuggled down into the softness of the goose down. Dreamily she thought about her husband and how they had met so many years before. Her eyelids became heavy and soon she was fast asleep.

Teekra woke up to the smell of rabbit stew. She was a young girl of 16 back in her old room at her parents house. As she sat up she heard a voice yell out for her mother.

“Lillygale, come quick! Tholmar Kern found a stranger in ta second valley. He's cut ‘im self up really bad, we don't think he can hang on much longer.”

“Wow, a real live stranger!” Teekra thought to herself. “Papa never let me meet no stranger before!”

With that Teekra jumped out of bed and ran to the window. She saw her parents hurry down the lane with her mothers ever present bag in tow. She watched them turn into the Kerns place and disappear up the garden. Teekra turned away from the window and quickly dressed. She ran down the stairs and out of the house completely forgetting to shut the door. Teekra knew she couldn't just walk up to the house and expect to be let in, she had to have a plan. Breemar Kern and Teekra had been best friends since she was old enough to walk. She only hoped that he was in his room.

Teekra kept to the shadows and entered the garden. When she got the Kern’s willow tree she picked up a stone and prepared to throw it at Breemar's window.

“What are you doing?”

Teekra let out a small squeal before catching herself. “Breemar, you half scared the wits out of me, what are you doing here?”

Breemar smiled and whispered “Shouldn't I be asking you that?” Teekra blushed and was about to say something when Breemar grabbed her by the arm and yanked her down. “Shhh! Someone's coming.”

The two friends hid under the willow barely daring to breath. Teekra smiled, she hadn't had this much fun since she and Breemar stole apples from Old Man Weblerk’s orchard. She hadn’t been allowed out for ten sunsets. She thought back to the grounding and sunk even lower to the ground. Even if she got grounded for twenty even thirty sunsets, it would be worth it just to be able to say she saw the stranger.

The footsteps came closer and Teekra became so nervous started to giggle. Breemar glared at her as she struggled to gain control. The footsteps stopped beside the tree, two strides from the friends.. They looked at each other with fear as they recognized their father's voices. They knew the trouble they'd be in if they got caught. Breemar was especially worried. Teekra had given them away when they stole apples by laughing under pressure. She was close now, he only hoped she could hold out till their parents left.

“You have a very strong man there Tholmar, any ordinary man would have died sunsets ago. I'm afraid he won't be able to travel now till the mountain passes thaw out next spring.”

Tholmar nodded. “He won't like it much but he has no choice, the man's lucky to be alive.”

Keithor shook his head. “I don't know who will find it harder, the stranger or the villagers.”

Tholmar agreed. “It will be an interesting winter. Come on in Keithor, Lillygale will be busy for a while yet. I could use a mug of ale before I have to face the villagers. No doubt, word will spread fast. Thank goodness the children haven't gotten wind of it yet, no tellin what they'd do.”

Breemar stole a look at Teekra. She wasn't smiling any more. She heard the serious tone in their fathers' voices and didn't want to get caught anymore than he did. The footsteps resumed and faded into the distance.

Breemar let out a sigh of relief. “For a minute there I thought you were going to blow. I honestly thought we were done for.”

Teekra giggled. “That was a close one. Did you hear my Pa? He said the stranger’d be here all winter!”

“I heard him, I also heard my Pa, he doesn't want us messin around. You gotta mind your self and don't go gettin us caught like you did at Old Man...”

Teekra cut him off. “You're always bringing that up, it wasn't all my fault. If you hadn't dropped your hat I would have been just fine. But oh no, there it sat on that branch waving back and forth, slipping further and further down. You and I stuck in that tree watching Old Man Weblerks. You should of seen your face!”

Breemar frowned and whispered. “This is serious stuff now. I don't want to get caught. Are you with me?”

Teekra nodded. Breemar had a way of even the simplest things an adventure. That is what she liked most about him.

“Good.” Said Breemar. “He's in the barn, follow me.”

They left the shelter of the willow tree and ran behind the outhouse. The next part was the most risky. They had to pass by the kitchen window without being seen. Breemar went first. Teekra kept guard while Breemar ran to the cottage. With his back against the wall he inched along under the window. He could hear his father talking as he crept along. Teekra signaled the coast was clear. He ran as if he were being chased to the safety of the tool shed. Teekra's turn. She handled the window easily and was about to bolt when Beast, Breemar's dog began to bark.

Tholmar opened the kitchen window and looked out. “Beast, shut it!”

Teekra heard the window open and glued herself to the wall. Breemar watched helplessly from the tool shed. If Beast ran to Teekra they were both doomed. He took a step backwards and felt a boulder under his foot. Signaling for Teekra to be ready he picked up the rock. Breemar threw the boulder behind him and held his breath. Beast heard the rock land and took off after it.

Tholmar shook his head as he watched the dog disappear. “Must ‘a heard a rabbit”

Teekra heard the window close, and prepared to run on Breemar's signal, but he was no where to be seen. ‘Should I run?’ She wondered, feeling very alone under the window. Finally Breemar came around the corner of the shed and Teekra saw why he had been gone. Beast was at his side with a rope around his neck and a make shift muzzle on his face. Breemar signaled for her to run and she sank thankfully to his side. Beast smelled her and nuzzled up to be pet.

“Oh thanks Beast, now you recognize me.” Chastised Teekra. “Stupid dog, you almost got me caught.”

The two rested, then crept around to the back of the shed. Breemar tied the dog to a tree and warned him to be quiet. Beast shrank from his master and lay down. “Come on let's go”

Teekra followed Breemar as he went behind the barn. She had spent many summers at the Kern's and knew her way around almost as well as Breemar did. They scaled the branches of the old oak tree and climbed through a window into the loft. Breemar held his finger to his mouth warning Teekra to be quiet. They crept through the bails of hay listening for voices. Lillygale's soft voice floated up from somewhere near the front of the barn. Careful not to be seen, the two friends inched their way to the edge of the loft and peeked down.

Teekra sucked in her breath when she saw him. The stranger was just an ordinary man. She didn't know what she had expected to find, but this wasn't it. Breemar was staring at Lillygale. He had never seen anyone work such intricate magic. He remembered watching Lillygale do simple healings when he visited, but this was different. She sang an eerie song and a light blue glow moved from her hands into the stranger’s body. The air was electric with magic as Lillygale drew more and more from the earth around her. She became a catalyst transferring the energy from the earth into the man before her. It was a hard thing to do and it would cost her greatly. The more energy she funneled, the more concentration and energy it cost her. Lillygale ended the song and collapsed.

Teekra wanted to run to her mother but she knew she couldn't. Instead she drew in energy from the air. She did not draw energy from the earth like her mother, so there was plenty for her to take. Gently she began to sing. To Breemar's surprise a blue light left her hands and flowed into Lillygale. Teekra was only young, but her magic was already strong. She had learned to control her gift and knew how much energy she could afford to give before she passed out. Teekra ended the song and lay back. She had felt her mother's energy return and knew that she would be all right.

Lillygale woke up just as Keithor and Tholmar entered the barn.

Keithor ran over to his wife and cradled her in his arms. “Are you all right? You look so pale.”

“I'm fine,” she mumbled. “I just need some rest.”

Keithor turned to his friend. “She's done all she can. I'm going to take her home and put her to bed. I'll be back tomorrow to see how he's doing. Call me if he wakes up. In the mean time... let's keep this to ourselves. There's no point in getting everyone worked up over him yet.”

Tholmar nodded in agreement. Keithor was the kind of person who exhibited a confidence that people didn't question. He was a big, kind and wise man. These qualities didn't escape the villagers, they considered themselves lucky to have Keithor as their leader. Keithor picked Lillygale up and started for the door. She tried to protest but he wouldn't hear of it. As hard as it was to argue with Lillygale, it was even harder to argue with Keithor. Tholmar covered the stranger with a wool blanket, then left the barn.

Breemar looked at Teekra with admiration. “That was unbelievable, I bet you saved your mother's life!”

Teekra smiled, "I wouldn't go that far, but I'm glad we were here.”

“How are you feeling?” He asked, “looking her over critically.

“I'll be fine, I'm just tired that's all.”

Breemar put a blade of straw into his mouth. “I think we should keep quiet about this for a few days. You heard your Pa, we don't want to get blamed for spreading the news”

“All right,” nodded Teekra. “Let’s make a pact not to say anything ‘till we both think it's right.”

Breemar stuck out his hand and they both shook. “So what next?”

Teekra thought for a minute then said, “Let’s meet again after supper under the willow tree...but this time leave the dog inside!”

“Agreed.”

Keithor was sitting by the window in the kitchen when Teekra walked in. “Hi Pa, where's Mom?”

“She's resting in her room. I don't want anyone disturbing her, Ya hear?”

Teekra turned her eyes away, “Sure Pa, I won't bother her. I've got some things I can do quietly in my room.”

Keithor nodded his head glad that his daughter would be occupied for a while. Teekra climbed thankfully into her bed. She had lost more energy than she’d let Breemar know.


Copyright Sandy Jasper 2001






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