Dragon Witch Series - Dragon Witch Part 9

"Get out, Mother." Tempest had no time for her mother's histrionics. "I will deal with you later."

"Tempest..." Christiana's voice rose several notches as she prepared to berate her daughter. But she stopped instantly as her husband stepped quietly from the shadows.

"Come with me, love," he said, trying to placate her. "We must let Tempest and Miriam help this man. Let us go to the great hall, and I will tell you everything I know about her latest injured stray." He smiled as he took his wife's arm and led her from the room, closing the door firmly behind him.

Miriam looked at Tempest with a speculative gleam in her eyes. "You were rather short with your mother, Tempest. She will be very angry."

"She has been angry before," Tempest answered flatly. "She will forget soon enough."

"You will suffer her anger yet again? I have never heard you speak thus to her."

"I have no time for another confrontation right now, Miriam. Adrian needs our help. We have to stop this bleeding.

"I am thankful you made up a fresh batch of soapweed this morning," Tempest noted as she gently cleaned the gash over Adrian's heart. It was deep and raw, the blood oozing steadily. "It should help to keep the wound from mortifying."

"I added yarrow for pain, and marigold and woodruff to help the wound heal faster. 'Tis good that the man has not regained his senses. The pain must be severe," Miriam answered as she busily prepared a poultice of Lady's Mantle, St. John's Wort and comfrey to put over the gaping wound. "It will have to be st.i.tched, Tempest. Do you want me to do it?"

"Nay. I need you to treat the burns on his legs. They look so deep. Do you think a mixture of lavender oil and St. John's wort oil will be enough for them?" Tempest carefully sewed the long gash over Adrian's heart as she spoke.

"Small st.i.tches, Tempest...not too tight now...there will be enough scarring as it is. We will add comfrey and costmary to speed the healing. I wonder how he got these terrible burns.

He must have been in agony when you found him."

"He never complained. Even when Tris and I walked with him back to the keep, he never complained. I have never met anyone like him. He is so brave and strong...so beautiful.."

Her voice trailed off, and Miriam glanced at her sharply.

"Be about your work now," Miriam scolded gently. "This is no time to be daydreaming,"

"I am not a child, Miriam. I know what I am about. Adrian will heal, for I shall not leave his side until he does." Tempest bound the poultice to Adrian's wound with soft, white linen strips, then gently pushed the hair from his face.

"Adrian," she whispered. "Please wake."

"He needs rest, Tempest." Miriam was firm in voice and manner. "Go to the kitchens and get yourself something to eat.

I will stay with him until you come back."

"Nay," Tempest sighed. "I am not hungry. You go. I will call you if I need your a.s.sistance." She pulled a big wooden

chair to the bedside, rearranged the cus.h.i.+ons on it and settled in for the long vigil ahead.

Helpless to control her charge, Miriam shook her head and quietly left the room.

The crystal glowed brightly for a moment, then dimmed to a pale bluish glow. In its center were two figures-one lying helpless in a huge bed, the other sitting silently at his side waiting through the night for him to open his eyes and look at her. Gradually her head nodded. Then she leaned forward to lay her head on the bed beside the unconscious giant. Tempest slept in exhaustion.

"She cannot heal him," the woman said softly. "Only dragon magic can do that. If we lose him now the game will be finished, and I am not yet ready for that to happen."

"Do you think I should heal him for her?" the man asked thoughtfully, his fingers steepled under his chin as he gazed into the crystal.

"Aye!" the woman answered eagerly. "Do heal him now so the game can continue. I grow impatient."

"I think not just yet," he answered. "Let us wait to see what they can do together. We must know if they are worthy of our game. Do you not agree, m'dear?"

"You will not let him die?"

"They must pa.s.s the tests, dear. Do not worry. I am in control of this game."

ELEVEN.

Adrian could not wake up. His eyes would not open ,and he could not hear, see, nor feel any part of his surroundings.

He found himself in a world bereft of light and sound. He felt no pain, but was beginning to hate this limbo into which he had been cast. His spirit roamed free, but his heart stayed with the tiny, redheaded witch who had found him in the forest.

He wandered through the limbo-world for a long time before he heard a voice coming as from a great distance.

"I gave you death," a whisper, deep and rasping, neither male nor female burrowed into the dark shadows of his soul.

"Do not fight me, for we have battled in the past, and I have won. You cannot best me. I am too powerful for you, weak creature of light and fire. You can never escape my darkness nor my dark servants."

"Adrian, please..." Tempest's soft voice cut through the blackness on a pale blue beam of light. "You cannot die. I refuse to let you go. Adrian..." He could hear the desperation in her voice.

"Tempest," he whispered, opening his eyes. "Help me..."

"I am trying, Adrian, but I know not what to do. I..." her voice faded as she was swept toward the icy vortex of darkness waiting to pounce and destroy them, without qualm nor conscience.

"Nay." The word was a mere whisper on her lips, but a scream in her mind. She reached for his hand, ready to battle the blackness, unwilling to let him go, even if it meant her own

death.

Tempest found herself in an alien place of impenetrable darkness. She knew Adrian was standing beside her because she could feel the heat from his body and hear his quick intake of breath as the relentless cold of that desolate plain began to leach the warmth from them. She drew in a deep breath to speak but gagged and choked as the fetid air stung her mouth and lungs. She exhaled quickly and put her hand over her mouth to mask the stench.

"Adrian, where are we?"

"I know not, little one," he replied, gasping for air.

Hideous laughter resounded all around them, a.s.saulting their senses, driving them to their knees, penetrating their ears with pain.

"SO, YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO.

ENTER MY DEMESNE AND LEAVE UNSCATHED,.

WITCH." The voice pierced their ears, wound its way through their minds and slithered into their souls. "FOR THIS TRESPa.s.s, YOU SHALL BE DESTROYED ANON. BUT.

FIRST I MUST EXTINGUISH THAT WEAK LIGHT BESIDE.

YOU." Again the grating laughter filled the darkness.

"Nay!" Tempest stood tall and true in her anger and fear, protecting Adrian with her slight body. "He has been sorely wounded, and I will let you do no further harm. If I must war with you to save him, then so be it." She stepped bravely forward, but felt Adrian's arm around her waist, gently holding her back.

Again the maniacal exultation screamed deeply into her mind. But she did not falter. Resolutely, she removed Adrian's hands from her waist and again stepped forward, battle ready.

Although the pain in her head was agony, she bravely reached into her memory and recalled Miriam's teaching. "Light destroys dark. Fire quenches cold. Laughter dispels terror." It was one of the first lessons she had learned so long ago. She knew her path.

She laughed softly, raised her arm and pointed at the form before her, now glowing red in the darkness.

"A gift for you, Lord Demon, to send you back to the abyss

from whence you came." As she spoke, lightning flew from her fingertip and struck the demon, sending him howling in agony to the ground.

But the lightning strike did not stay him for long. He was soon up and snarling at them.

"NOW YOU BOTH SHALL DIE," he bellowed, outraged.

Tempest felt bitter cold begin to creep into her body. Her fingers and toes were growing numb. Her arms and legs became heavy. She could not move. She resisted the cold with everything she could think of but could not defeat it. She became listless and realized she might soon pa.s.s into a stupor. Then she noticed a golden glow behind the demon.

She concentrated on the golden light, willing it to grow stronger, knowing, deep in her soul, there lay her salvation.

Gradually she grew warmer. The strength began to return to her body. Her mind began to clear, and she saw the form of a woman in the golden light.

"Lady, help us..." she implored weakly.

The light shone sun-bright and Tempest had to look away.

She saw Adrian lying at her feet and bent to help him. Tempest did not see the light turn into an immense dragon, glowing golden in the darkness. Nor did she hear a mother's words...

Never shall you harm my son, Demon of the Dark. Nor shall you do battle with his intended until she is ready. Back to the abyss, wretched creature, and heed my warning lest I banish you for all eternity. Never shall your master again summon you. Anger blazed from golden-hued dragon eyes.

The demon's terrified cries faded as he fled back to his dark abode.

Tempest felt a feathery touch, caressing, loving. She tried to raise her head but could not. She drifted slowly to the rock- strewn ground to lie beside Adrian.

Sleep, child, murmured a soft, gentle voice. I have much work to do which is not for mortal eyes. Rest peacefully.

Tempest did not try to fight the gentle voice. Her limbs grew heavy. Her eyes closed in deep sleep as she curled next to Adrian, her arm thrown across his chest as if to protect him from further harm.

"What magic have you done?" Adrian cried out as he wrapped his strong arms around the sleeping maid. "I will not let you harm her," he said, as he struggled valiantly to his feet, holding Tempest tightly to his chest. "She is good and kind and beautiful, and I will protect her."

I mean her no harm, Adrian. Did I not banish the demon back to his foul abode?

"Aye, Lady. I thank you for that. This maiden has many powers, but they are not yet strong enough. I could not come to her aid. But I know you not. Why should I place my trust in you?"

Do you not know me, Adrian? The beautiful golden dragon's eyes glittered.

"Nay."

Then you must have faith. Your wounds are severe, and you cannot long hold the maid as you do now. You cannot fight to protect her, and she will not awaken until I release her. Trust in me, Adrian, for I offer you my protection.

Adrian could feel the strength slowly ebbing from his body and knew the dragon was correct in her summation. I am stuck in this dark, smelly place, and I need help to get out, he thought to himself. I know not who I am or from whence I came, and I must protect this wonderful little witch in any way I can.

"What must I do?" he questioned softly.

Close your eyes, Adrian, commanded the dragon.

Adrian briefly wondered how she knew his name but did not question her. He began to feel sleepy. His body relaxed, and he could no longer feel Tempest's slight weight in his arms as he fell slowly into unconsciousness. From far away the dragonsong drifted to him like the gentle whispers of new- fallen snow.

Offspring of my heart's delight, Echo of my spirit, I summon by the dragon's might The Wraiths of Time to hear it.

From dragon heart to dragon heart This healing spell be cast,

Strongest of all living art This bond forever lasts.

By power knit the dragon bone The strength of dragonkind, By flight of dragon wing alone Renewing of the mind.

With serpent's blazing fiery urge, Burn out this dragon's pain.

With pulsing life, his blood now surge, His vigor now regain.

Now Wraiths of Time bring forth your power, His health you must restore.

Heal his wounds from conflict dour And keep him from death's door.

From dragon soul to dragon soul This song a mother sings.

A dragon chant that makes him whole, Now restful slumber brings.

Adrian and Tempest slept peacefully in deep silence. The dragon touched each with a glittering, golden wing, whispered a gentle blessing and faded into the darkness.