Dragon & Dreamer | ONC 2023 honourable mention

4 - Bruised

"My pleasure. My name is Liha, and if I'd known how dangerous this city is, I might have stayed away."

Naiin chuckled. "True, Penira can be dangerous, but I think you ran out of luck today. But now you are awake, let's fill your stomach with something hot."

She lit two candles before she filled a bowl from a pot simmering on the hearth and handed it to Liha with a slice of dark bread. He took it with a frown but soon spooned the content as if he had been starving. Naiin filled two additional bowls, placed them on the small table, and beckoned Dánirah to sit down. The vegetable soup smelled delicious, and the young woman lowered the spoon into it with a rumbling stomach.

Naiin watched her while she ate her own portion. "So, what brings a young Tanna to my doorstep?"

Dánirah lowered her spoon and retrieved Shonai's letter from her bag. "My mother sends you this. She said it's important, from the tribe's leaders to the king."

Naiin held the parchment close to the candle to study the seal and raised her brows. "You're the daughter of Shonai, the Dreamer. I should have recognised you, forgive me. But you were just a slip of a girl when I last saw you. So, it wasn't a coincidence that you tried to reach this house."

"No, it wasn't." Dánirah picked up her spoon to finish her meal. "Can you deliver it?"

"To the king?" The older woman raised her brows and smiled. "No, I cannot talk to the king. But the man I'm waiting for might solve this problem for us."

Dánirah didn't dare to ask what she meant with her cryptical remark. Despite his willingness to fight for her, she didn't know if she should trust Liha. She had seen him at the city gate and later at the market, but just because he arrived with her didn't make him a potential ally. Besides, she wouldn't be in Penira long enough to get to know him better.

"I trust you will do what's necessary, Naiin, and I'll be glad to leave the city behind."

"You'll have to wait for the morning, though. The gates are closed for the night. And my customer is about to arrive, so we need to decide where the two of you shall spend the night. Or at least the time until he leaves."

Dánirah exchanged a glance with Liha before she took it upon herself to ask. "Can't we stay here?"

"Unfortunately, this is my only room. I doubt my customer would appreciate being watched by you both."

Liha put his bowl aside and placed his feet on the floor. "Of course. You have helped more than enough." He staggered to his feet, and Dánirah rushed to support him before he fell.

"You are in no shape to walk the city streets." She helped him sit down, afraid he was about to be sick.

Naiin stepped up and placed a hand on his forehead. "No fever, but Dánirah is right. You'll have to tread with care for a few days. You suffer from a concussion if I read the signs right. Well, if you can walk and the two of you aren't afraid of the cold, I might know a place where you can pass the time."

"I will walk." Liha's answer defied his pale complexion.

Dánirah didn't see another solution, so she picked up his shirt to help him dress. Naiin handed her a blanket and wrapped a woollen scarf around Liha's shoulders.

"Take this. It will help to keep you warm. Ready?"

The young man still seemed wobbly on his feet, but he nodded and picked up his bag and blanket to follow their host. Dánirah brought up the rear, cradling the second blanket and a bottle of hot tea against her chest. She expected they would climb down the narrow stairs. Instead, Naiin led them to the roof window on the other side of the landing and opened the shutters.

"If you climb out here and follow the steps, you reach the firewall between the buildings. To the left, it leads you to a roof garden. This time of the year, it's unused, and you may wait there. I'll fetch you as soon as my customer has left."

Dánirah studied the narrow ladder leading downwards with a frown. It would be best if Liha climbed them without a burden. She handed him her own load. "I'll go first. Pass me the stuff when I tell you."

Heavy footfalls in the stairwell announced Naiin's visitor now. She didn't wait for Liha's confirmation, but swung herself out of the window and scrambled down the steps. They were not as rickety as they first seemed, and soon she stood on the coping of the firewall. It was two feet across and covered with stone slaps placed with a slight slant so the water would flow off.

Liha handed her the equipment and stood beside her moments later, breathing hard. "Huh. Right in time. With all his puffing and cursing, your friend's customer must be quite stout."

Dánirah giggled. "You can't imagine how Naiin and I puffed while we dragged you up there."

"I'm sorry. I really just wanted to help you and not make things harder." He leaned against the roof. In the moonlight, his face looked pale, but not as drawn as before.

"It's fine. Your interruption allowed me enough time to ensure Naiin's help. But come, let's find this garden of hers before you fall off the wall unconscious."

Because of the slant of the coping, the walk wasn't without danger. But Liha, now carrying his bag again, did not waver and followed the wall. Dánirah kept up, aware a misstep would send her down the adjacent roof and into the dark gorge of the street below. At the end of the makeshift walkway, a few more steps led them to a small terrace above an inner courtyard. Terracotta pots held the dead remains of a herb garden and washing lines spanned the unused space.

Liha dropped his bag and blanket and stepped to the parapet to study the king's fortress. Dánirah joined him, pulling her shawl around her shoulders in the night's chill. The white palace walls gleamed in the moonlight, and several windows emitted a golden glow.

"The king's family celebrates tonight."

"How do you know?" The young man turned to her.

"I don't. I assume the nobles have a feast every night. He is the king of Kelèn, after all."

Liha sat on a weathered wooden bench and pulled his blanket over his knees. "Perhaps, I wouldn't know. I want to join the king's men. Who knows, perhaps I'll even visit the palace one day."

Dánirah turned to watch the mist curl over the plain beyond the wall. "I doubt I'll ever get closer to that fortress than tonight. I'll leave Penira tomorrow."

Liha remained silent for a moment, and she wondered if he had heard her when he spoke in a low voice. "That's a pity. You're the only person in this town I got to know—aside from those trying to kill me."

She chuckled and sat down beside him. "Naiin didn't and even sewed you up. Besides, I delivered my message. The rest is up to her. No one will let a Tanna near a counsellor of the sun king, anyway."

He nodded and slipped closer, spreading the blankets over both of them. Dánirah enjoyed his warmth by her side. Strange that she felt an association with this young man. Still, she would leave the town at first light. This wasn't her place, and he didn't belong to her people.

"Look." His voice was filled with wonder, and her gaze followed his pointing finger. "What birds are those?"

The dark silhouettes of two winged beasts crossed the silver face of the almost full moon, their long tails trailing. Dánirah held her breath. In the lore of her people, they announced changes. To the Keleni, the children of the sun, they were known as harbingers of doom.

"Dragons are underway. An important change is afoot, Liha."

(2069 words)