This was a rather lengthy project, wasn't it?
I turned 29 recently. That happened.
~~~~~
Dirt and dust drank up the cold spring rain, turning the narrow road into a long slick mud path. The misty rain beaded up the Julia’s shawl, glittering silver in the light. The hem of her ankle length dress was caked with the pale mud that stuck to the heels of her boots. Her brothers ran ahead and behind her, jumping in the grass after frogs and bugs. Ever so often, one would hoot, calling the other over to see what he caught. The young woman shook the collecting rain off her hat as the younger boy ran up to her, his hands clenched tight around something.
“Julia, Julia! I caught a salamander! Look, look, and see!” Thomas thrust his cupped hands towards her, mud splashed up to the knees of his pants.
She held out her hands, glaring down at him. “You give me that poor creature this instant and stop playing around.” Gingerly, she picked up the dazed salamander and desposited him into the tall grass by the road. It blinked up at her for a long moment then darted away.
“Look at you, Thomas. You’re covered in mud.” Julia whistled to the other boy as she wiped at the mud on Thomas’ knees. “If you and David ruin the new britches Father bought you, I’m not saving you from a whipping.”
The older brother stood staring the way they had come, past the bend in the road. Mud plastered his back front waist to shoulders and a long wriggling snake hung from his grasp. Julia whistled again, the sound piercing the dull patter of rain. David dropped the snake with a jump and ran to her side.
His eyes were bright as he caught back up to her, smears of light brown mud spread across his cheeks. His arm was pointing back and up, at the thick grey storm clouds. Julia grabbed her handkerchief and attacked the offending smudges. David fought to talk around the cloth as she rubbed and scrubbed.
“Jule, down the-” The handkerchief passed over his mouth, forcing him to remain quiet for a moment. “You gotta-”
“I don’t ‘gotta’ do anything.” Julia grabbed Thomas with one hand and David with the other. “You two are going to walk beside me and behave.”
“But-”
“No.” She pinched his ear. “Children should be seen. Not heard.”
David jammed his free hand into his pocket and stuck out his lip, pouting as he stomped through the mud. Thomas took a cue from his older brother and followed suit. Julia rolled her eyes for a moment before resuming the march home. The family home was still two miles down the road and the sky showed no sign of slowing down.
The dull sound of rain on the road took over the senses, a constant spat pat pat. She kept them towards the middle, avoiding the deeper sucking mud along the sides of the road. Each rain drop rolled off her hat and landed on her shoulders and skirt.
An errant gust of wind tugged at her skirts and buffeted the trees around the road. Julia clapped a hand over her wide brimmed hat and looked up to see a massive form dropping from the sky behind them. Two wide leathery wings chopped at the air as thick scaled legs settled onto the muddy road. The shoulder stood twice as high as a horse. Grey scales glittered and shone with a layer of rain. Above all rose the thick wedge of a snout and two large eyes, set on either side of the massive skull.
Julia scrambled backwards, pulling her brothers with her. She stared hard at the dragon, from the heavy ridges along his eyes, to the long thin tail. From a wide leather and silk harness hung a badge of office, from the royal council. A simple device hung from the chest straps, showing him to be a minor lord in the service of the queen. He glanced in her direction and inclined his head before heading in the same direction as her.
Julia resumed her walk, moving closer to the thick mud along the side of the road. She kept a tight grip on her brother's hands. David kept craning his neck around to look back at the dragon.
She jerked his hand, bringing his attention back to the road. “Don’t stare, it’s impolite.”
“But I want to see.” David turned and side skipped over a rock. “I tried to tell you he was close but you didn’t want to listen.”
She bit her lip and groaned. “Just keep your eyes forward.”
The dragon’s longer strides brought him right behind her small group in a few minutes. Julia skirted further to the side of the road, struggling in the thicker mud and stones.
The distant rumble of thunder gave a few minute warning as the rain grew heavier, the drops splashing down on her skirts and bodice. Thomas started to whimper. Julia bowed her head and continued to trudge on through the mud.
A shadow sprang up over Julia and her brothers. The rain stopped. With a gasp, Julia looked up to see a large leathery wing above them, blocking the rain. The dragon look ahead steadily as he walked, slowing to keep pace with her. His massive claws left deep prints in the mud which quickly filled with rainwater. Julia could feel the heat coming off his scales from several feet away, a heavy warmth that smelled like burnt paper and spices.
For minutes they walked in silence, the young woman, the boys and the dragon. When she finally worked up the nerve to speak, Julia’s voice came out in a squeak.
“Thank you, good sir. You’re too kind, giving us shelter from the rain. Our home isn’t too far, just a bit down this road.”
Keeping his snout pointed ahead, the dragon’s great green eye looked onto her. “It’s no trouble, young lady.” The sound was deep, a rumbling closer to an earthquake than a voice. “Might I have the pleasure of knowing your name?”
Julia dropped a quick curtsey. “Julia Woodson, my lord.” She bit her lip. “If you’ll forgive me, I don’t know your title, my lord.”
“Dunmoore. Lord Draelach of Dunmoore. Liason between the dragon council of Elders and Her Royal Highness, Queen Victoria.” He inclined his head in an abbreviated bow.
They lapsed into silence again. The boys were staring in shock, drinking in every detail of the enormous creature beside and above them. Julia ventured another attempt at converstation. “Quite a messy day with all the rain about, isn’t it?”
The dragon’s chuckle was a deep rumble. “In my life, I have never thought a day with rain was
anything less than a blessing.” He lifted his face to the rain, small rivers flowing down his scales. “I never feel so clear minded as when it’s raining.”
Rain splashed off the wing stretched over her as Julia looked the dragon over. From nose to tail, he was longer than a horse and carriage team. His other wing remained tucked firmly to his side. Two thick bands of pale blue silk crisscrossed the widest part of his chest, forming an ornate harness. From this dangled medals and ribbons of commedation. In the center hung a asymetrical chuck of shining black material, shot with veins of silver. Water darkened the silk on one side of the harness, spotting the pale blue.
“Oh, my lord! Your harness is getting wet, sir. I don’t want your silks to get ruined on account of us.” Julia pushed the loose hair back into her bun.
“Little human, the dragons existed long before the concept of clothing.” The deep chuckle changed into a full on laugh. “I only wear this as a concession to your queen, so she can hang the medals on something. I rarely fully understand what is going on in her court but I do try to humor her.”
David looked up at Lord Draelach and blurted out a question. “What do you do at the Court? Do you just dance and look fancy?”
Julia clapped her hand over his mouth and bowed her head. “Your lordship, please forgive him! He’s not very well behaved on my account. I don’t discipline him like I should.”
The dragon stopped for a moment, the thick scale ridges along his eyes making him look severe. “The young man would be wise to learn to control his tongue.” He resumed the slow pace that allowed the smaller human legs to keep up with him. “In answer to your question though, I do not merely dance and ‘look fancy’ at court. I act as a go between between the Council of Elders and Her Royal Highness the Queen.”
At the blank look on David’s face, Lord Draelach continued. “It means I settle matters that involve my people and yours. I am also a constant reminder of the peace brokered between humans and dragons. When Her Highness sees me, she knows she has the force of our nation supporting her in her efforts at home and abroad.”
“Pardon my question, my lord, but what are you doing way out here? Our little town is miles from the capital and there’s not even a lord in attendence of the manor.” Julia crossed herself quickly. “Bless his soul, Lord Hector passed on two years ago of a weak heart.”
“That would be the business I am about.” He looked down at her. “The late Lord Hector left no close heirs. The estate has been in the care of the staff in the mean time. The Queen decided that the estate has remained empty too long and has appointed me the new lord of the manor.”
Julia’s eyes went wide. “You’re to be the new lord?” Her words tumbled out in a rush. “Not that it’s a bad thing, my lord.” She stared up at him, word failing.
“Fear not, I won’t be capturing you or any of the other fair maidens in the village. Nor will I be hoarding any gold in the manor. In fact, I’ll spend most of my time at court still.” The lord’s eyes were bright with laughter. “But I will be requiring the services of several good men skilled in husbandry. My larders are far from stocked and if I am to entertain foreign dignitaries, I’d best get started now.”
Thomas peeked from behind Julia’s skirts. “Pa, Julia, tell him about Pa.”
Lord Draelach tilted his head, a chuckle rumbling in his throat. “Do tell, Ms Julia.”
For a moment, she chewed on her lip. “No, I’d hate to bother my lord with such a trivial thing. We’ve already imposed enough on your time. Our home is right at the bottom of the hill and it’s barely raining anymore.”
“Well then, we best talk quickly. So you can finish telling me before we reach your door.” His large green eye winked at her.
“Grandfather was the late lord’s woodsman. Before Father was born, Grandfather met a woman in the woods of Lord Hector’s estate. I never met Grandmother Liev but there are still things said about town of her. Some of them don't make any sense, like fairy tales or something. Lots of people say she was part Elven.” She shook her head. “That’s not the point, I beg your pardon. Father learned everything he could from Grandfather and Grandmother. No one knows the woods here better. He’s got a way with deer and birds, can make them do whatever he wants, if you’re looking for a good man.”
She looked ahead, the house looming on the left. The rain was a mere drizzle by now, beading up on the grass by the road. Beam of sunlight poked through the clouds here and there, turning the droplets into glittering crystals. Julia turned to the boys. “Say your goodbyes to Lord Draelach and go on ahead to the house.”
She watched as the boys bowed to the dragon and ran down the hill. After they had disappeared inside, she gave a low curtsey. “I’m very grateful to you sir. Without your assistance, that would have been a very unpleasant end to our trip.”
“You’re very welcome.” He lowered his head to her level, his massive green eyes peering into hers. “Hm… Very interesting. Very.” With a snort, he lifted his head.
“I have something for you.” The dragon pulled a thick green disc from a pouch on his harness. He carefully placed it in her hands.
She turned it over and over, studying the disc. It was as big as her hand, with rough edges. The color was a deep green, same as the dragon’s body. “My lord, is this one of your scales?” The edges of it made her fingers tingle.
“Indeed. I use them in place of a signet or seal. Give that to your father and tell him to report to the manor in the morning. There is a lot of work to be done and my steward will provide a starting point.” Again he looked directly into Julia’s eyes. “So very curious.”
Julia took a step back. “Sir?”
Lord Draelach backed up, stretching out both his wings with short flaps. “Do come with your father when he reports for assignment. I think you will be very helpful.” He chuckled. “It’s been too long since a Kindred was born.”
Julia stared in confusion as he took to the air, calling down to her. “Never dismiss the old stories, girl. There is something a little more than human about you, I think.”
~~~
I've fifteen seconds from incoherent giggling. I've got to get some sleep.
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