The Gatekeeper's Daughter

After The Dragon

www.gatekeepersdaughter.com

Now available for you in Kindle and trade paperback formats on Amazon.com

Also the sequel (book 2 of 9) has is posted here on Wattpad.  The Title is "In Darkness Deep"

Jenner and Caughn travelled far in a short time, even for riders on fast mounts. They aided their own passing and hastened the pace of their horses with the aid of craft only a master wizard and master druid could manage while working together.

They were travelling too fast to communicate with words, but masters of the arts of the making of the world such as they were, they did not need words.

Jenner let it be known that he had information that The Winter Dragon had been seen many times travelling to and from the Veiled Mountains, at the highest peaks north and west of Hilden Maar. Jenner knew it would take weeks to travel there by foot, as no horse could survive the climb.

It was Caughn who quickly made the suggestion that Jenner would have realized in time. They would have to fly. There were several eagles now, which had no riders, as they had been killed in the previous day’s battles. Jenner and Caughn would have to go into the lair of the King of The White Dragons, and take Attikus by force.

But they wouldn't be going alone.

***

Jenner and Caughn arrived at the head of Jason's baggage train, the supply and support part of his army located east of Jason's army by some 20 miles.

There they came upon the captain of the guard who recognized them instantly. Jenner wheeling is eager horse around said only. "Take me to the eagles without riders with all haste."

Pointing to a young sergeant who was already mounted on a horse the captain said: "Do as he commands, take him to the Eagles and do all that he bids you to do."

The sergeant wasted no time and bolted off with and nod and the wizard and druid taking off behind him in close pursuit.

In moments they had ridden another two miles east, passing carts and wagons of all kinds, along with resting pack animals and those who tended and guarded the baggage train. Passing all form or peoples from the region as they finally came quickly to a small circle of wagons. A few men were there, but mostly there were Halflings, with Halfling sized wagons, carts and ponies.

There also were seven eagles that tragically no longer had riders. They were in the center of the wagons that had light saddles mounted on them.

Jenner and Caughn had formulated a plan in their unspoken communication. Jenner would the eagles to Hilden Maar. Caughn would find Max and bring with him five of Audra's party to assist in the mission against the dragon.

Caughn could do this because max was a fellow druid and a student and friend. Druids of great power and experience had the ability to locate other druids whom they had a friendship or love for, and could "walk" to them. This "walk" is a way of navigating through the energy that made up the world, and using a trusted point to emerge from the walk in the presence of the friends or loved one.

Wizards of less knowledge may call this teleporting, where magically a wizard can instantly blink to a place known and familiar to them. At higher levels wizards can do this with others to accompany them.

But for Druids is was altogether different. For one thing it wasn't instantaneous. For anther they did not have to know where they were going, they just had to have a friend waiting for them there to use as a finishing point.

With very little explanation to the tenders of the eagles, Jenner with the help of the sergeant mounted one eagle and had the rest told by their tenders to follow Jenner.

Giant eagles were highly intelligent creatures and had a language of their own that few could speak. But they knew also the common tongue of men. Eagles had long been the allies to men, since the days of long forgotten wars against the dragons.

These eagles were not pets, or steeds in the sense that horses are. They were partners and volunteers in this war, and were more than ready to follow the leadership of a powerful wizard, even against a dragon. In fact, it was probable that the idea of combating or bring about the demise of the long hated King of The White dragons was more motivation than was required.

Without another word and a nod to Caughn Jenner was off. It would take him longer to get to Hilden Maar on an eagle, than it would for Caughn to find Max and return with him and the others to Hilden Maar.

Caughn watched only for a moment as Jenner and the eagles sped off to the north. He then turned and walked only a few steps before he began to seem to turn a golden yellow, like the tall grasses of the plains. They seemed to grow up him and then become him or more to the point he became them. With only a few more steps and a "whihissshhh" sound then followed by a brief breeze that blew in the direction he was walking, Caughn disappeared in the full view frightened and astonished eagle tenders.