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A Dragon's Promise

Chapter Nine

Tomah lay on a pile of straw in what looked like an old banquet room of some kind. Tattered rugs hung on the walls depicting summer scenes in far off lands, or maybe this one...he couldn’t be sure. He tried to put the pieces of last night together. He had gone into the farmyard and something, black and cold came at him from out of nowhere. He shivered at the thought but forced himself to go on. It picked him up and flew off to this place. How long it took, he couldn’t be sure, but it seemed like an eternity that he was in that, that ‘things’ grip. He checked his side and saw marks where it had dug in. He shivered again and pulled his house coat tightly around him.

Suddenly a warm feeling washed over Tomah. He could feel his grandmother looking for him. He tried to call out to her, but it was too late, the feeling only lasted a few seconds. Tomah lay back again in his misery, waiting to see what would become of him.

Kidjiot was small, even for a halfling. He'd lived in this miserable old castle all his life and had never known anything different. Everyday the same, everyday borrrrrring. But this day was different. The master, had a guest he did, a guest! Kidjiot could hardly wait to meet him, maybe the visitor could tell him stories of the wonderful places he'd been, and of course the wonderful food he'd eaten!

Kidjiot peeked into the keyhole, the visitor was still sleeping. “Too bad” he thought, “too bad. Me really wanted talk to him.....wait a minute! If Kidjiot make noise, maybe visitor wake up!” Kidjiot felt proud of himself indeed. He got out the special key, let himself in and then slammed the door. Tomah jumped and looked up.

“So sorry! Did door wake you up? Me didn’t mean to, no, me didn’t. Wind make door slam! Well never mind, you up now....Me Kidjabob Top, but peoples just call me Kidjiot. What your name?”

Tomah sat up, rubbed his eyes and looked curiously at the little man before him. “Tomah. Where am I and what am I doing here?”

Kidjiot looked at Tomah as if he'd just said something incredibly stupid. “You in the old dinning room of course, and it looks like you been sleeping it does....sleeping.”

“No! I don’t mean that! Why am I in this, this place....and where in Sarokee is it?”

Kidjiot looked around him as if someone might be listening and whispered. “We in the masters castle and it where it always is. It is right here!” Kidjiot looked pleased with himself this time. He was sure that he had answered the loud little boy’s question correctly. “You hungry? Me have food, me do, me do.”

Tomah was hungry, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to eat anything this little creature had to offer. “A little I suppose, what do you have?”

Kidjiot took a bag out of his pocket. In it he had cheese, fresh biscuits and some wine to wash them down. Despite his reservations Tomah began to eat. He lifted his head and caught the halfling staring longingly at a biscuit.

“Do you want some? There’s enough here for both of us.” He pushed a biscuit and some cheese at the halfling and he happily joined in.

When they were finished the meal Kidjiot suddenly jumped up. “Kidjiot have to go! Stay here too long me did, too long. Maybe see little boy later!” and with that the halfling picked up his bag and ran out the door. Tomah was surprised by his sudden disappearance and wished that he had asked him more questions.

‘Maybe later,’ he thought to himself. ‘Maybe later.’

With a good rest and a full tummy Tomah decided to look around. “I wonder where I am?” He said to himself as he stood up and stretched. He walked over to the door that Kidjiot had come in and as he expected, the door was locked. He tried to peek through the keyhole but could only see the gray of a passageway. Tomah worked his way down the wall with the most hangings on it. The rugs seemed to favor a beautiful castle on a rugged cliff by the sea. It couldn’t possibly be this castle, the sea was a two week ride from the village. He closed his eyes and listened. No mistaking it. He could hear water. “The sea!” Tomah had always dreamed of going to the sea!

He studied more of the rugs. Some were of parties in a beautiful garden with wizards, elves and dwarfs. “Elves” Another thing Tomah had always wanted to see. He looked closer at their faces...there was something familiar. He couldn’t quite place it, “maybe later.” He moved around the room till he came to one rug that caught his eye. It was of a feast in a magnificent dining room. Again there were races from all over Sarokee and they were all toasting a wizard at the head of the table. He held a bright staff in his left hand and a silver goblet in his right.

Tomah looked around the room. If he wasn’t mistaken he was in the dinning room from the picture. He looked closer and saw the same old oak table, the same door and the same candleholder above the table. “This place sure went down hill!” Tomah was about to move onto another rug when something caught his eye. In the back of the picture stood a lady, but it wasn’t the lady that captured his attention, it was where she was standing. Tomah swung around and looked behind the table. An old curtain hung on the wall, so dusty now that it was hard to tell even what color it had been. He ran to the curtain and pushed it aside, just as he thought! There was a balcony! Tomah struggled with the rusty latchs on the glass doors. Finally they gave way with a horrible squeak and a welcome breeze washed over him. “The sea! I’m looking at the sea!” Tomah rushed out onto the balcony and breathed in the fresh air. He was fifty feet up from a narrow walkway that topped a sheer cliff above the ocean. The water smashed violently against the rocks and for a moment Tomah forgot his misery and was a little boy again.

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Brodney skipped up the steps to the front door of the palace. This time instead of sneaking, he went out of his way to be seen. Thairy and Maio greeted the little elf with a most creative assortment of threats. (Apparently they had had plenty of time to think while he was gone.) Thairy had quite a sadistic imagination and Brodney was quite relieved when the Donavin arrived. The wizard signaled the group and led them down the hall.

Prince Mikka was busy packing his bags when he heard a knock on his door. “Who is there?”

“It is Donavin, Thairy and Maio. We have a visitor for you.”

Mikka opened the door. “Do come in, I was just packing.”

Brodney had never met the prince before and was suddenly more than a little self conscious. ‘I should have put on my best stockings.’ He thought as he stood awkwardly by the door.

“This is Brodney.” Donavin motioned to the little elf. “He would like to talk with you.”

“Hello Brodney.” Mikka offered his hand in greeting. Brodney took it and bowed an awkward little bow and mumbled a reasonable facsimile of hello back. “What can I do for you?”

“Well your honor...if it pleases you, I would like to join you on your journey.” Thairy coughed to try to hide a smirk. He went to say something smart but a glare from Donavin made him think twice.

Mikka smiled at the little elf. “Thank-you for your kind offer, but I am afraid the trip we are going on is very dangerous. It is no place for small elves.”

Brodney forgot his shyness for a moment and spoke up passionately. “I am no ordinary elf your Princeness. I have been on the outside....I have been a wanderer all my life, just like my father. I know my way around and I know the people. I could be a valuable part of your team!”

Mikka looked at Donavin who nodded his head. He paced back and forth thinking. Again Thairy went to say something but Donavin's look cut him short.

“I have maps,” The small elf volunteered. This caught the prince’s attention.

“Maps? Let me see!” Brodney quickly took a pack off of his back and dug around inside. He pulled out a roll of maps and the small gold pin that had been in his shoe when he left the palace earlier, fell onto the floor. He stared at it like he had no idea where this offending pin could possibly have come from. Thairy leapt on it and thrust it out for all to see.

“I told you he was nothing better than a common thief!”

“I...I....I found that outside! I was bringing it back to the prince as a....a...token of my good will!

“Good will?” Thairy looked at the little elf with total disbelief, “I can not believe you just said that!”

Mikka looked with amusement at the two elves and winked at the wizard. “What do you think Donavin?”

Donavin put on a serious expression and said. “I think we should let Thairy take care of him for the next three or four months.”

Mikka put his hand on his chin, “How do you feel about it Thairy?”

The guard was glad that they were finally seeing the light. “Yes, I do feel that he could benefit from being in my care.”

Mikka nodded. “Are you sure.”

“Absolutely.”

“Then it’s settled,” said the prince. “We all leave together.”

It took a minute for his words to sink in and Brodney was the first to recover. “You mean I have got to put up with the missing link here following me around?”

That did it for Thairy. “I would be honored to accompany you on your journey. I will consider it my personal duty to make sure that this little, ‘leprechaun’ keeps his hands to himself!”

Mikka smiled inwardly, “Wonderful! Go pack your things and return to the palace for a farewell feast in our honor. It begins an hour past sunset.”

True to his word Thairy escorted the little elf to the front door making sure that his hands stayed where he could see them. “I will be waiting for you here. Do not come back until it is time to eat.”

With that he turned away and went back into the palace. He met up with Maio and told him about the meeting. “What do you think Tanasia is going to say?” His friend asked.

“I do not know. I was planning on asking her to marry me, now I suppose it will have to wait. Maio, could you please get someone to watch the door for that little thief? I have some things to do and I do not trust him.”

“I will stand guard,” said Maio. “I do not trust him either.” Thairy thanked his friend and went in search of Tanasia.

He found her in the kitchen working on the feast. “Tanasia, can I talk with you, it is important.”

She looked up and smiled. “Hello Thair! I wish I could get away but everything is crazy around here. Do you want to meet me later?”

He grabbed her by the arm and moved her to the side. “I do not know if there will be a later. Please! I need to talk to you.”

Tanasia looked up and saw Kalli, the head cook watching them. “Finish up what you are doing and you can go. We have everything under control.”

“Oh thank-you very much!” She said to the cook. “I will make it up to you, honest I will!”

Kalli chuckled as she watched the young girl hurry through her chores. “Young love is such a wonderful thing!” She sighed and went back to directing the preparations.

Thairy held Tanasia’s hand and guided her through the halls. Once they were outside he sat her down under an oak tree and began to talk.

“Tanasia, I...I...I have been asked to go on the journey. I would have already volunteered if it was not for you. I..I.. Oh how do I say this...I love you, and I do not want to be away from you, but I have to.” He looked into Tanasia’s eyes and (not for the first time) was struck by her beauty. She had the golden hair that was common with the elves, but hers seemed softer and shinier Almost more golden than any other elf he had ever seen. She had vivid yellow eyes that matched her hair and tiny pink lips that lit her whole face when she smiled. He could not remember ever loving anyone so much in his life.

“Oh Thairy” She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “Will you be alright? Will I ever see you again?”

“I do not know,” he replied sadly. “But I will do everything in my power to come back to you.”

She threw her arms around him. “I love you too, and I will wait for you. Everyday untill you return, I will leave a light by my window and you will know that I love you.”

There were many good-byes to be said for the elves that day. Krallin and his wife found it especially hard. They had known each other almost as long as Krallin and Mikka had been friends. Since marrying they had never been apart. Krallin held Diwell’s hand tightly as they walked to the palace for the feast. Many elves had been invited to the party. He nodded his head politely as he passed them on the way to their seats at the head table. As he pulled a chair out for his wife she whispered into his ear. “I am very proud of you.”

Again Krallin grabbed her hand and squeezed it tight. “Thank-you Diwell for understanding. you are the best wife that an elf could ever have.”

Mikka watched the two and felt a twinge of jealousy. He had nobody to wish him good-bye, no elf maiden awaiting his return. He had his parents, brothers and sister, but nobody to call his own. Funny how fate could be. He never could find just the right girl for him. Elfin women seemed so delicate, he wished that he could meet one with a little spunk.

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“Yaaaaa, go girl go!” Athena pushed Chestnut to the limit. They raced to the top of the hill and waited for the others to catch up. “Ha Ha! I won again!”

Kelvin glared at his sister. “It’s a wonder your pony hasn’t tossed you off! You really need to slow down and pace yourself or she’ll be riding you!”

“No she won’t,” blasted Athena. “She’s fine. I know my horse and I wouldn’t do anything to hurt her.”

Kelvin jumped off Beaner and pointed. “Look at Chestnut, you’re pushing her too hard!”

Athena jumped off her pony. “You’re just jealous because I beat you!”

“Am not!” Yelled Kelvin.

Corbin rode up behind the kids. “STOP YELLING!! For goodness sake! How are we supposed to help anyone if we can’t get along with each other?” Athena glared at her brother and stroked Chestnut. The ponies breath was very quick and she had a layer of foam forming on her chest. With a start Athena realized that she had been pushing her too hard.

“I’m sorry Dad. I’m just so excited about finally seeing the outside world, I want to do everything now.”

Kelvin looked at his sister in disgust. “Is that all you can think about? What about Tomah? Aren’t you even a little worried about him?”

Athena spun on her brother. “Tomah means the world to me! Don’t you EVER say different. Just because I’m not crying my eyes out doesn’t mean I don’t care.”

Corbin sighed. “I think it’s time we found a place to camp. We are all getting a little tired, and more than a little cranky. See that stream down there? We’ll follow it and look for a place to pitch the tent. The twins mounted their ponies and followed their father. They didn’t say anything, each caught in their own thoughts of Tomah and the days to come.

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Beside a similar stream, Teekra was tending a small fire while Breemar set their tent. Geni sat nearby and played with stones. She put them in a circle and with her mind moved them about. She was trying a particularly hard pattern when her mother came up behind her.

“What are you doing?”

Geni let the stones fall and looked up at her Mom. “I was just playing with these rocks.”

Teekra sat down beside her daughter. “You can’t do that here. We are trying to hide and if you use your magic we might be found. It is very important that you don’t use it. Do you understand?” Geni nodded her head. Her long blond hair falling down her back and her blue eyes looking up innocently. How Teekra wished that they were at home getting ready for a normal supper.

“I’m sorry Mom, I was just bored and I didn’t think it would hurt anything.”

Breemar came up behind them. “What else can you do Geni?”

Geni raised her hands to show them but Teekra stopped her. “No magic!”

Geni put her hands down. “I don’t know, lots of stuff I guess, I just think of it and I can make it happen.”

“Could you move this rock?” Breemar picked a large rock up from the stream and set it down.

Geni went to lift her hands and changed her mind. “Yes”

“How about that one?” He pointed to a fifty pound rock . Geni nodded her head. “And that one?” He pointed to one almost the size of a man.

“Only if I concentrate, but it would make me tired for the whole day and I can’t be bothered, it’s not fun.”

Breemar shook his head. “That’s amazing.”

Teekra sighed and went back to the fire. “I know Breemar, I know.”



Copyright Sandy Jasper 2001






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