Dragon Tamer - Book 1

Chapter 64

"No" Marcie told him, her voice like ice, "Nobody knows, its a myth to them. I only found out about it when Dafne chose to save you life" She placed great emphasis on the last three words, speaking to Sebastian's downcast eyes again,

"You know where it is! Where is it!?" Aldren demanded, he stepped forward but had the presence of mind to go no further when Marcie's hand went to her knife, his hands clenched at his sides in fists.

Marcie, who may have been silently berating herself for allowing this man to her bed said,

"I've had a pretty tough time of late Aldren, so I would ask you to refrain from pissing me off right now"

Jin raised his hands placatingly, "Alright Marcie alright, see, well,we came here to get The Aroam so-"

"The what?" Marcie snapped,

Jin paused, thrown off his tirade, "The Aroam?" He said hesitantly, "The mythical plant that cures incurable wounds, diseases and prolongs life indefinitely?"

Marcie considered this, then shrugged, "If thats what you want to call it"she said,

"Yes, well" Jin continued, "We were sent to bring it back and-"

"Bring it back?" Marcie threw back her head and laughed, it was not a pleasant laugh, but one so mocking that Aldren felt his whole body tense as his pride received a swift and damaging blow, "This aint no measly little bush you can strap on the back of your horse and parade through the streets back home. This is bigger an you an me an way more important, even if you were to find it, an trust me, Dafne has more an a couple tricks up ere sleeves to stop that from happenin, you have no idea what you speak of, it is too fantastic for you to even imagine! An what did you think would happen once you took it? Hm, welll let me tell ya, nothin good, nothin!"

She looked from Jin to Aldren (Sebastian was still looking at the floor)and saw that Aldren had a stubborn lock to his jaw and Jin had that steely look in his eye, gone was the joking storyteller, the harmless flirt. She realised she would not dissuade them, she hunted around desperately for something to threaten them with or convince them. She opened her mouth to say something foolish, when she was struck by a memory of a conversation that took place not long after she first met the trio.

"I saved your life" she told Sebastian again, "And I saved all of you in the forest" she said, slowly,

Jins face was a blank 'yes and?'

"And one could say I saved you from being killed by the Daygon" If possible, Jins eyes became even steelier,

"So, one could say I have saved two of you twice and one of you three times" she said, even slower, letting every word land as hard as she dared.

"In that case I wish to, how do you say it? Cash in? The life dept you three owe me"

Stony silence followed,

"You cannot do that!" Sebastian exclaimed after the words had sufficient time to sink in,

"Oh" said Marcie, a wide manic grin spreading across her face, "But I can"

"We are under no obligation to beholden to-" Jin started hotly,

"Honour" Marcie said loudly over the top of him, "Aren't men, especially outsider men rather fond of that sort of thing? Also, if I remember correctly, your very lives would be forfeit if you did not hold to my request? Is that not so? If it is, then it would seem such a shame for you to all die after all the effort I have gone to to keep you alive" She grinned triumphantly at them,

Aldren stared at her in disbelief, "Marcie" he said slowly and with great effort, "What would it take for you to not hold us to that dept?"

Marcie raised a finger and placed it upon her chin, in mock contemplation,"Hmm" she made a sound, then snapped her fingers, "Oh! I know! Absolutely nothing!" she said cheerfully, then released another peal of unpleasant laughter.

Jin and Sebastian flinched,

"There is nothing you can give me that I want other than for you never speak of this village as a possible location of this 'Aroam' again, to cease your search for the 'Aroam' and to leave the village as soon as possible and never again return" She stated, holding her fingers up and counting off the things she listed.

Aldren continued to stare at her,

"You have no idea what you are doing" he stated softly,

"I think I do Aldren" Marcie replied coolly, "You see, I care about this village, such as it is, and the people who dwell within it, such as they are and you are a threat to them, but now you are not. I hold you to your life dept, and pray you keep your end"

The three men stared, she held each of their gazes until they dropped them, then she released a long breath. She had got them.

She glanced out the window, the music and food and drink still flowed, the traders and villagers had not yet finished the revelling.

"I am going to go and enjoy the party" she said absent-mindedly, "Try to stay out of my way until you leave"

She turned to go, when she put her hand on the handle Aldren said very quietly,

"I wish I had never touched you"

It hurt, a small stab of pain, but a pain she was used to, the pain of rejection.

She turned around slowly and fixed him with a smile all teeth,

"And miss out on all the fun we had? No Aldren you do not wish that" she said pleasantly, then she turned and left, slamming the door resolutely behind her.