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The Discovery

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"Aylith, what is it we're doing here again?" Duncan complained behind her, "My feet really do hurt, you know!" Because of that she honestly wanted to smack him with her daedal staff on his stubborn head.
How could a grown man be so snivelling? Even more so, after he led his whole life as son and apprentice of a weapon smith, so that he could handle most of the established weapons just fine and having had more wounds due to his life as journeyman and sometimes mercenary, than she would probably catch in her entire life.
"I already told you: I am looking for something" she murmured and looked at the highly jointed landscape surrounding them. And only the two of them, there was no one, nothing far and wide.
No wonder, because the lake at which shores they were standing, had many solute minerals in its water, that made it impossible for fish to live in it and would also vitriolize her skin, if she would have been stupid enough to stick her hand into the boiling hot water.
They were on top of a volcano after all, which was dormant, but far from being extinct, what did not disquiet her at all, but surely her companion. That she knew without having to look at him, knew exactly, that his green eyes were vigilantly trying to instantly spot any enemy, although nothing but pure dead silence surrounded them. That was the way Duncan was, after all.
"But you never told me what you're trying to find in this stinking hole, my dear." he cut through her thoughts and she heard the smirk in his voice very well, but also the fact, that it should disguise his discomfort. She laughed, turned to face him, which made her light brown locks dance frisky around her face and looked at her long-time friend, who wrinkled his nose.
Angry because of her amusement, he complained: "It stinks like foul eggs, worse than any horrid dish my mother had ever perpetrated!"
Now they grinned at each other before Aylith turned around again and waved him to follow her, while she corrected him: "What you are smelling is sulphur."
She did not mention anything more although she knew that this would not help him, but she had no desire whatsoever to explain it to him since she had to focus.
"What are you looking for?" Duncan asked much more chippy this time, which she really could not resent him, since she had dragged him through the wilderness for about two weeks now without ever having told the reason for this, but nevertheless she just hissed at him and indicated to remain silent. He grumbled dissatisfied, but kept silent and so she inhaled the sulphur deeply since it helped her to lure forward the inveterate magic in her and would fan the flame inside her so that it could become a bonfire that would enlighten her path.
Most other mages would have failed, but not she, because even amongst the few magical persons in this land she still was something peculiar, not unique, but utterly uncommon.
"Talk to me, brother…" she murmured under her breath, too quietly for Duncan for sure, but those words were not meant for him anyway.
As much as she valued him, there were things he should not know, could never be allowed to know. And because of this fact, the feelings he had for her which she was aware of, were in vain. But just why did this thought empoison her?
She pushed these thoughts back and concentrated on her magic which burst out as she received a reply. "This way." She announced and paced determinedly over the dunes of dark sand, which the volcano had once left behind together with heat and a few boulders which had been thrown out of it in a gigantic eruption once, or so she assumed.
To her friend Duncan their surroundings must look all the same since they had begun searching the caldera of this volcano hours ago, but now she knew where her way would lead them to and she chose this direction without any hesitation.
"Magic's gotta be quite practical. If you misplaced your boots, would you be able to find them through magic?" Duncan enquired jokingly and she shook her head since she could not believe that one single man could talk so much, so much nonsense, on top of it.
"Yes. But do you know what magic is also capable of?" she asked a counter-question growling and shot an angry glance at him over her shoulder, which made him smirk boyishly and this combined with his messy dark hair and his three-day beard had stolen many a maiden's heart, then he guessed: "Shut me up in the most harrowingly manner?"
"Exactly!" she exclaimed and looked around watchful since they were coming closer to their destination, she could feel it, but Duncan just snorted snidely and then declared self-confidently: "Nah. Of course you could, technically, but you wouldn't bring yourself to do it, you love me far too much for that."
"Right now, I hate you…" she mumbled because he just could not remain silent for even one minute, he could not even sit still at night at their campfire.
"Don't you keep telling yourself that!" he demanded in a played act of outrage, "Just admit that there is more to it than you wanna see."
Now he was serious and she could feel his gaze upon her drilling into her back and she knew, that he had stopped. So she turned to him sighing, shook her head in distress and started another attempt to talk him out of this nonsense: "Duncan…"
She valued her friend and yes, she would have bedded him since he was attractive after all, but at the same time she knew that this would mean much more to him than it would to her, because if there was something her mother had taught her, it was that a woman was never to be bound to a man, that it was beneath a woman to be dominated by a man.
And sooner or later every man who was allowed too near to a woman would try to do so, this her mother had always emphasized and she has been unbound and free for all her life, although she had had many men und also many children who were emanated from their nights together, Aylith being one of them.
"Don't say anything, Aylith." Duncan smirked as he looked into her face which she could only maintain control of with much difficulty and he could not know that he made it even harder for her, "Just think about it. Again."
Those words said he passed her by and went into the direction she had shown him, so that she could not forbear an angry hiss although she knew that she was never allowed to let him hear it.
"What's that?" he asked immediately and Aylith cursed her unrestrained temper that only Duncan managed to bring forward in her. But to her surprise he did not turn around to her, but instead pointed his left hand in front of himself and gasped: "Do you see that, love?"
The commotion in his voice let her ignore the pet name and she stepped to his side in order to also look out for whatever had disturbed him so much, and when she spotted it, she laughed contentedly.
"Yes, I see it, Duncan." She replied coolly, unconsciously put one hand on his forearm, which she only realized as she already left his side and went to go to the source of his anxiety. Instantly he grasped her arm to forcefully hold her back and then he asked her: "What's this? I won't let you just go there if you don't know what you gotta expect!"
Aylith picked his fingers from her upper arm and smiled gently as she answered: "This is an egg nothing to be afraid of."
With this she wrested from his grasp and quickened her pace until she had reached the egg of dark and extremely enduring stone. Its surface was smooth and shone in the radiant light of the afternoon sun above them, but yet the black stone seemed to simply absorb the light and protect the life within it with the warmth and power of the glowing star.
This life pulsed full of strength and Aylith could see the might concealed in the unborn that made the egg glow from within with a soft but powerful reddish light. The most astonishing thing about this unborn child however was its heartbeat, which sounded steady and strong through the protective hull of black stone and let Aylith's bones vibrate.
"By all the Gods…" Duncan aspirated behind her and she heard how he pulled out his sword, the metallic rasping of the blade against its sheath distinctively in the silence around them, but almost hushed by the heartbeat of the unborn. Her friend rushed in front of her to protect her.
"What are you doing?", she asked surly and pushed him away to get to the egg, kneeled next to it in the sand that was warmed by the sun's light but was nothing compared to the heat the egg radiated with but nevertheless she put her hand on its surface in a loving touch and said with a smile: "Hush, Duncan, it is merely a child, unborn and sheltered by slumbering power. But still he needs us."
Having said that she turned around, looked up to him, but kept her Hand on the egg protectively and explained: "We are here because of him."
Duncan's eyes widened in surprise yet in the very next moment he showed a frown and she could see his inner trouble distinctively in his face. Eventually he shook his head and sheathed his sword.
Slowly and warily he came to the egg and her, also crouched down and enquired whispering: "What is this, Aylith?"
With a smile she took Duncan's hand and led it to the black hull but did not place it upon it, since this had burned the skin off his bones without fail. "It is a dragon's egg." She revealed quietly and heard him gasp for air in surprise, and then he took his hand back hastily and demanded: "We're leaving. The mother could show up anytime, couldn't she? I'm not gonna be here, when she does. And I ain't gonna leave you here!"
With that he pulled her on her feet so that she almost lost her balance, but she recovered and held him back, assuring him: "She cannot get here, this is why she sent me to retrieve the egg for her."
Complete lack of understanding was written in his face but then his eyes narrowed and he shot a glance at her that clearly told her that he thought her insane, so she drew a deep breath and entrusted to him: "There are many things you do not know about me and which I also cannot reveal to you but let me say this much: I have already dealt with a dragon and she asked me to get this egg for her an bring her child back to her. There are only a few of them left and every egg that is laid is brought to this very volcano in order to let the magic and heat of this place strengthen them and hatch them. Shortly before the hatch, they have to be brought back to the aerie but she cannot come for her child. This is why she sent me. Duncan…"
His look was still full of suspicion, but then he spoke harshly: "For years no one has seen a dragon and lived to tell the tale!"
Deeply grieved she hung her head and then spoke insistently: "Some did, but they never talked about it since they had given the dragons their word that they would not. Only few people know about them, but I do, know dragons. Please…trust me."
For long seconds her friend hesitated, but then he shook his head and asked: "How can I help you?"
Aylith's smile radiated with joy as she assigned him with a task: "Take the large sack out of your bag and also the cloth so that I can wrap the egg in them and you will carry it out of the caldera. I will lead the way to the mother's aerie ad we will bring the child to her safely. Once this is done…you are free to go, your debt will be paid in full."
Duncan snorted and replied: "Four years ago you saved my worthless life and gave it a meaning again. Don't think I will just leave you!"
Aylith closed her eyes tantalized because she had reckoned with this answer of his, but again it surprised her how fiercely he stressed that she was important to him. It was still hard for her to accepts this feelings he had for her and did not hide, even more so since she could not return a single on e of them.
Without a word Duncan handed the first thick and woollen web over to her and she began wrapping the egg in it gingerly, but also firmly in order to keep the heat of this place with the unborn for as long as possible, although she had difficulties doing so for the egg was almost half her size and quite heavy.
"Let me help you." Duncan offered and already stretched his big hands forward but she snapped: "No!"
Surprised he backed off so Aylith explained: "You would scorch your hands, the egg is far too hot for you."
"If your tender fingers endure it? Come on…" he asked unconvinced and reached for the egg again but withdrew his hands before he had even touched it and looked at the reddened skin completely taken aback.
Then he glanced over to Aylith, silently pleading for an explanation so that she answered lamely: "I am…a mage." This was only part of the truth, but for know this explanation would have to do.
Duncan nodded nervously and then waited until the egg had been wrapped in the first layer of cloth so that he could help her by turning the egg gingerly only touching the wool that covered it an therefore made the heat bearable.
Finally they had wrapped it up to Aylith's satisfaction and together they manhandled it into the backpack she had sewn from a sack used to store grains. Duncan shouldered it without any effort and pulled the weight without grumbling as Aylith led the way that would bring them out of the caldera in back into the surrounding forest in which it would still be warm and stifling, but by far not as hot and humid as it was here.
Nevertheless it took them almost an hour to leave the crater behind and Duncan sweated because of the exertion to carry such a load on his back in this heat, but still he did not complain but instead chuckled: "After our trip into that crater, the jungle seems almost cold!"
Aylith just nodded smilingly, but to her the forest had always seemed chilly and although the caldera had admittedly been very warm even for her taste, here in the jungle she shivered and Duncan looked at her in concern: "You're cold, love?"
"A little." she admitted and rubbed her arms since her harness and the short skirt could not really warm her body and her friend laughed, then suggested: "Well, come on, let's set camp."
With those words he quickened his pace and she really had to struggle to keep up with him for she was tired from their long search. They were lucky and had soon found a river on whose shore Duncan stated: "We can stay here."
He gingerly put down the backpack and leaned it against a stone so that the egg contained could for sure not topple over, which made Aylith smile: He could not possibly know that the unborn dragon was safe in this hull, but touched her heart that he cared so much for the child.
"I'll son be back with some firewood, hopefully." He cut through her thoughtsand she nodded curtly to answer, then she followed Duncan with her eyes until he had disappeared between the trees around them and the liana on them and then she stepped over to the egg.
She pulled the sack into her arms an leaned her forehead against die thick layers of cloth that still could not contain the warmth of the Dragon as a whole.
A hand on her shoulder woke her and Aylith sat up quickly so that she looked into Duncan's amused face who crouched in front of her on the reddish ground of the jungle ad inquired with a smirk: "Slept well? Then would you please light the fire, this is so much easier for you."
Aylith backed slowly away from the egg and went to the small circle of stones Duncan had put there and also the wood he had piled up in it, neatly as always. One single tip of her hand should have done the trick but today it was hard for her to conjure her magic and she did very well know why: The unborn dragon absorbed all the magic he could sense, so he also gnawed at her powers.
She would recover as soon as they would be separated or he had hatched but until then she was weakened and precisely because of that she needed Duncan. He was the only one she could allow to see her weakness and on this whole wide world the only one who would not take advantage of this.
She knew that in her heart and this was the reason she had asked him to accompany her, but she was not willing to confess this.
"Whoa, careful, love!" her friend exclaimed in surprise as she stumbled backwards into him and he quickly snatched her, her back leaned against his chest that was bare and his skin still wet, so he must have washed himself in the river.
"You okay?" he asked concerned and she nodded, trying to wind from his grasp, but he did not let her go, which made her hiss angrily at him, again a sound he should not have heard, but he only stiffened for a moment, and then declared resolutely, but grinning: "You're gonna fall over as soon as I let go of you. May I therefore lead you to your egg?"
Grumblingly she nodded again and Duncan put her gingerly down next to the warming egg one hand on her cheek, concern in his eyes and another question on his lips: "What's wrong with you, love?" Yet another question she could not answer properly, must not answer.
But still…she wanted to. If anyone had earned the right to know all that, it was him and nobody else.
"I…need to tell you something." Aylith began carefully and did hardly dare to look into Duncan's face, then she heard him chuckle there, his hand wandered to her chin and gently lifted her head as he spoke, smirking: "If you want to bring forth a confession of love, let me go first, I've practised for years now, after all."
Harshly she shoved away his hand, which did not chase away his smile and so she began to speak anxiously: "You will probably believe not a single word I will tell you, but I swear every word is true. I am not just any mage, as scarce as they might be in our world, but no, my kind is even amongst those capable of magic very rare. The dragon who had laid this egg here she…is also my mother. Duncan, I am a half-dragon."
He only looked at her silently, his brows furrowed and he blinking in disbelief, then his lips curling into a grin. He opened his mouth to joke, she knew it, but she stopped him: "My magic has its source in my dragon heritage but I am also human. I will live as long as you do, I am as vulnerable, but I can conjure magic and withstand heat, this is the only difference. I have to bring my brother to our mother even though his presence weakens me. This is why you are here, to protect me, because…"
For a moment Aylith interrupted her words, but then she lowered her gaze and whispered: "Because I trust you."
With a quiet sigh Duncan put his large hands gently unto her cheeks, made her look at him and promised: "And I will protect you, no matter from what, no matter why."
Speaking these words Duncan leaned in to her and kissed her forehead, which made Aylith close her eyes and reach out for him in the desire to pull him into her arms. But her mother's words came into her mind and she hesitated.
"A dragon is free and proud; never will she be ruled by any man."
Insecure she backed away and Duncan just smiled suavely as if he had not expected anything different than this, but still she saw his disappointment more than ever. Right now she wanted to tell him the words her mother the dragon had spoken, as she heard a faint scratching which was unmistakable.
Hastily she shoved Duncan away from her, reached for the sack next to her, and then pleaded: "Help me, we have to get the egg out of there!"
He was faster than her since he was by far not as tired and in any way stronger than her, so it was him who lift it out of the backpack.
"It's cold, Aylith." He said alarmed while he pulled the woollen cloth away from it quickly so she explained excitedly: "I know. Every egg cools down right before the dragon hatches."
Now that the black hull lay in front of them amidst a pile of wool looking like a cradling nest, its glow had vanished and the egg was about as warm as a human's body slightly warmer perhaps since this was the body temperature of a dragon.
Again she heard the quiet rasping sound and a chipping one was added that made Duncan obviously anxious so that he shot a glance at Aylith and she explained: "He has to free himself, we cannot help him."
Every dragonchild has to overcome this obstacle on their own and it was far more difficult for half-dragons. Only a few had ever been procreated and most of them did not withstand the magic and heat of the volcano as well as many failed to break through the hard hull of their egg so that the dragons let them suffocate within them for they had not proved strong enough.
The chipping changed and Aylith could watch with great relief how the pitch-black surface of the egg was covered in fissures that expanded with every blow and finally the unborn had succeeded.
The egg burst open at the spot where the claw every dragon was born with – and only them, half-dragons were not – had penetrated the material where the child now could push its muzzle through the gap and so it was easy for him to chip away even more fragments so that eventually her little brother slumped out of his egg. From the tip of his nose to the one of his tail he reached from the ground well to her hip, his light green eyes glowing in the now reigning night that was only lit by their campfire.
His body was snow-white and already the one of a saurian, but completely covered in soft fur. His claw fell of his paw which told Aylith that he would later in the shape of a human use his left hand preferably and he now yawned at her with a smack from his toothless mouth.
She took the claw and put it into her bag as well as the shards of his egg because they were powerful just like the whole tiny dragon so none of this could under any circumstances fall into wrong hands.
Duncan beside her was tongue-tied and stared at her brother, remaining completely motionless so she took his hand into hers and together lead them to the nose of the newborn dragon.
He would recognize her as family and for the fact that Duncan's smell would for him belong to Aylith's, he would accept him as a member of his family as well.
And so he did, for he lumbered awkwardly to her friend, climbed onto his chest with his clawless paws whose soles were also covered with fur and forced Duncan to lay back on the blanket he had laid out earlier, when Aylith must still have been asleep.
As he had wrestled Duncan down successfully, her little brother curled up in his arm and yawned heartily before his slightly fizzling breath told her that he had fallen asleep.
"That…that…", Duncan stammered helplessly, but she only smiled and said: "This is my little brother, half-brother, to be precise. You can consider yourself lucky, dear. He really likes you and immediately accepted who as a member of his family. Until now no human has ever witnessed the birth of a dragon, trust me."
Still speechless he smiled hesitantly ad reached out with his hand, yet pulled it back before he had touched the dragonchild but Aylith nodded and told him: "You can touch him; he will not bite you or scorch you."
"Could he already do that?" he asked curiously and put his fingers carefully into the dragon's fur stroking him in awe and he grinned up to Aylith who now slid next to him and also reached out her hand to touch her brother while she revealed: "Oh yes, he can already conjure magic. He cannot completely control it and during his life he will earn much more power but he is not defenceless. Still we have to bring him to the aerie in order for him to learn how to use his magic and moreover…he has great responsibility."
"Why?" Duncan wanted to know and turned halfway around to Aylith since she was sitting behind him on his blanket, her arm put forth over him to reach the dragon. She paused for a moment then looked down at him and disclosed words, no human should have ever got to know: "There are only very few male dragons so one day the survival of the clans will also rest on his shoulders."
To this her friend nodded and continued stroking the silky fur until he touched Aylith's hand. Out of reflex she wanted to pull hers back, but Duncan clasped her fingers and asked in a choked voice: "If he has already accepted me as his family…why can't you?"
He slowly rolled on his back now lying outstretched in front of her one arm around the sleeping dragon and the other hand reaching out for her.
She looked into his eyes, saw the pain in them and for the first time knew that it was not only his own sorrow she could see there, but also hers.
"Because I allowed someone to rule over me." Aylith whispered as a response, "But not anymore."
Her mother had been the one to dominate her, Duncan however would never do this, in four years had never even tried to do so. Moreover, she was only part dragon, she was also human. And Duncan belonged at her side.
With determination she bowed down to him and caressed his lips before she kissed him.
"Aylith, what…" he murmured in surprise, and then shoved her from him to joke in order to hide his own insecurity, "I know you're thankful, but one word would also do."
"Not anymore." She stated and now finally lay down next to him, her head on his chest and one arm and leg clasping him.
"I…What brought this on?" Duncan asked with a husky voice and Aylith huddled against him even more until he returned her embrace and she could be sure that he would stay with her because of the kiss he placed on her lips hungrily.
"I just figured something out." She belatedly answered his question, "I am human and want to be with you. If you…"
"Of course I do!" Duncan interrupted her and pulled her tighter to him one hand still fondling the dragon's fur completely lost in his thoughts as was Aylith.
Yes, she was human, not a dragon, but still she was proud and free, would never allow anyone to rule over her, not even another dragon.
Duncan and her belonged together. Eventually she had made this discovery. And at his side it would surely not be the last to be made.
This story came to mind as I saw *shoughad 's picture "The Discovery"


I hope you like it, Heike!
© 2011 - 2024 Thyme-Sprite
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shoughad's avatar
:tighthug: Love it - absolutely. :heart: It makes me wanting to render another picture showing my favourite scene of it (if I only knew, how to create a furry, newborn dragon-baby ;)).