The Ancients

Chapter 6

Sebastian had ordered what was left of his people to a vow of silence until the king arrived. Marcus and Sebastian concluded that it was better to house the refugees in the keep rather than out in town were there would be a relentless line of questions from the people of Azeal. This was much more convenient for Liam and Vipin who had started to ask the people about what they saw.

The man who still had a bruise on his chest from Gael's hoof said that he saw the dragon fly away further north. His young daughter, who had miraculously come out unscathed said it was more towards the northwest. An elderly lady that had broken her foot swore on her husband's grave that she saw the dragon going northeast. One gentleman said he could've sworn the dragon was on its way south. Save that gentleman, anyone who saw the dragon said it had traveled north so that's where the pair would go.

They had agreed with each other to stay in Azeal until the king arrived. The king's decision on how to handle the situation would determine how they went about their newfound path. If they were not with Helen in the healing chambers for Liam, they were usually found next to Alexander's body, the week they could wait to send him to Tasnim was coming to a rapid close.

Liam's arm was healing slowly, especially for a noble. Helen was perplexed by it but continued to pour over her books to find the cause. The leading theory was that the magic of the dragon's fire was to blame, but since dragons had gone extinct before man started to record their knowledge and history through writing, she wasn't sure what to use to help him heal. The hope was that if Liam's arm was kept clean from infection the rest would take care of itself.

He couldn't grab anything, he could barely flex his arm or wiggle his fingers with his injuries, which meant that one of the best swordsmen in the kingdom could no longer use his sword.

This raised the anxiety of their situation for Vipin. While she could protect them both, if they were to be ambushed Liam would become a liability. And after years of fighting side by side with her prince, she would be fighting by herself for them both. How was he supposed to help her kill a dragon if he couldn't even help her fight against other people? When she brought up her concerns, however, Liam refused to listen to her pleads to stay behind.

"Where you go, I go," he would argue sternly. Even though she would get frustrated when he refused to listen to her, a part of her deep in her chest was relieved that she didn't have to undergo this journey alone.

They were with Alexander now, kneeling next to his body, the cold starting to turn their lips blue.

"His family isn't going to make it to his funeral," Vipin said looking down at Alex's peaceful face. She hoped wherever he was, he was this peaceful there.

"No, they aren't," Liam said shaking his head. All the other dead they were able to bring with them from Finviti had already been given their funerals. "We should have his ceremony tomorrow."

Vipin nodded her agreement, "We should ask Marcus for help tonight, we need Alex's family crest and a sword."

"If we are going to ask him, we should go now, it's almost time for last meal," Liam said standing up. Vipin kissed Alex's forehead gently and rose to her feet as well. They made their way back into the keep, their breath hovering in clouds in front of them.

They had been sharing their meals with Marcus and his wife Serena, the lord had become worried about the two young warriors since the morning after they arrived. They pushed food around on their plates hardly eating, only speaking when spoken to unless it was to each other, spending entire cold days beside their fallen friend. So, he had their meals brought to the dining hall where he and Serena would encourage them to eat and talk.