Excerpt: Dragon Heart

Dragon heart
By Janice M. Seagraves

Chapter one: The Green Lady

I walked through the pass into the crest and found it opened up into a small valley with a village. It was market day and all the stalls were open for business. And business was booming; I counted three distinctive caravan groups and heard at least six different languages spoken.
Eyes swiveled toward me. “Who is that?” someone asked.
“Dunno, did she walked out of the pass?”
“Yes, I do believe she did.”
“All by herself?”
“Hi,” I said to them. “Do you know where I can rent a cottage?”
“Keep moving girly we don’t want your kind here,” one of the men sneered.
“What kind is that?” I asked taken aback.
“Whore,” he spat the word at me. “We drove the last ones out with the help of the new priest.”
“I am not a whore,” I pulled myself straight and lifted my chin. I’m not tall and just barely come to these men’s shoulders. I’m always mistaken for someone a lot younger, but then again I really don’t show my age.
“A mistress come to start up a brothel here?” said the other.
“Good heavens,” I said blinked at him in surprise, am I showing cleavage? A quick glance down told me I wasn’t. “No, and no. Why would I do a thing like that?”
“She’s no whore. She a rich man’s run away daughter,” said a woman behind them.
“I’m not,” I smiled at her. “But that is the nicest thing someone’s said to me since I got here.” She started to smile in return but covered her mouth instead. I had caught a glimpse of black stumps. I had my work cut out for me here.
She stepped around the men and squinted at me. “You’re old enough to be married, where’s your husband?”
“He died,” I told her.
“You can marry again.”
“I did he died too,” I told her truthfully. “I have the bad tendency of outliving my husbands.”
“Oh you poor dear,” she said sympathetically. She glanced at my silver necklace with the dragon clasping a heart shaped garnet, and then at my hands where I wore a silver ring on each finger; the designs were of Celtic knots, three had a small garnet that looked like a drop of blood. “He left you well off I see? So why are you here?”
“Wars coming, I had to leave and I’m traveling light,” I indicated my one tote bag that hung on my shoulder; it was designed with Celtic knots and in the center a green dragon holding a red heart. “I was thinking of settling here. Do you know who I can rent a cottage from?”
“We hear rumor of war all the time,” shrugged one of the men like it was nothing.
“If you want to rent a place you’ll need to speak with Barnabas. He’s the Baron’s steward,” the woman told me.
“Where might I find him?”
“At the pub most likely,” she said.
“Try the wild boar,” said one of the men who had insulted me earlier.
“Thank you,” I told him then looked at the woman. “What’s your name? I never forget a face, or one who has helped me.”
“My name is Nora Goodwife, and yours?”
“I’ve traveled a good while and most people call me the green lady, because I wear a green dress. But you may call me Jade.”
“Good morrow Lady Jade,” she curtsied.
“And you to Nora Goodwife.” I said and walked down the way toward where I hope was the pub the wild boar.
Behind me I heard, “Did you notice she had bare feet but they were clean?”
“While I stood close to her I noticed that she smelled like Jasmine.”
***
The door was open to the pub, and I walked into the noise and smoke of the establishment. I smell greasy burnt meat and stale ale. A haired looking woman went from table to table while she dropped off mugs of ale or picked up dirty dishes, and fended off groping hands. “Excuse me miss,” I said. “Can you tell me where Barnabas is?”
“Over there,” she said with a lift to her chin, and hurried away.
I weaved through the full tables heading in the vague direction she had indicated. Before I got too far a hand hooked my elbow and turned me around. “Hey pretty, how about some fun eh? What do you say?”
“Not in my life time.” I looked him up and down; he was from a caravan and looked dusty and smelled worse. “Not in yours anyway.”
He ran grubby fingers down one of my curls that lay on my shoulder. He was close enough that I got a face full of his ale soaked breath. I pulled back with a shudder of revolution. “Such pretty hair, it looks like copper, and you smell good too.”
“And you smell terrible.”
“How much for a full night sweat cakes?”
“I’m not for sale and never have been.” I jerked away from him.
“Hey that’s not nice,” he said trying to snatch at me again, but I side stepped his efforts. “I was just trying to be friendly.”
I felt a low growl rumble inside of me and the sliding of scales. Elyria was awake. Down girl, this I can handle, I thought at her. I side stepped again.
But he looks so tasty.
You can’t eat him, I thought appalled. I stepped back from his lunge.
She asked Oh not even a nibble? I heard the pout in her voice.
Smelly guy got a hold of my tote bag, and pulled me over to him. I balled my hand into a fist and punched him in the gut.
“Ow, she hits,” he complained. He let go of the strap to clutch at his stomach.
“That’s not all I do,” I said tensing for another go.
“The lady isn’t interested,” I heard a voice ring out. A shush ran though the pub. A woman being harassed wasn’t worth even a glance but this guy made everyone sit up and take notice. I looked over to see who spoke. I saw a young man with shiny black hair pulled back with into a ponytail and tanned golden skin glaring in our direction. His hunting clothes fit snuggly on his muscular frame, but even in the gloom of the pub I could tell they were made of the finest material.
“Who might you be boy,” snapped the man.
One of his table companions pull him over and said loudly in his ear, “That’s the baron’s son.”
“So?”
“Don’t mess with him we don’t need the trouble that’ll bring down on our ears.”
I was moving toward the young man before I thought much about it. Hello handsome. “Hi, thanks for the save,” I smiled at him. “I’m looking for Barnabas, do you know him?”
“Oh, now you’ve gone and broken my heart,” he said with a hand over his chest.
“I have?” I looked at him confused.
“I thought it was me you’ve came to see.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” I said and tried to stifle a girlish giggle.
Don’t go all cutesy Jade.
Shut up Elyria. “I wanted to rent a cottage, and I was told that Barnabas was the man to see.”
“I’m Barnabas,” said a man at the same table as my rescuer.
I glanced down at him. He was well dressed but his clothes had a worn look to them. “Greetings Barnabas.”
“You want to rent a cottage?” He looked me up and down like he doubted I could afford it.
“Yes, by the edge of town if you have one.”
“Is it just for you?”
“Yes of course.”
“Where’s your husband?”
“He died.”
“She’s a widow Barnabas, be nice and show her some cottages,” said the young man with a bright smile. “I know you have at least three to rent.”
“Humph, you don’t have to rescue every pretty filly that shows up young Tiernan.”
“Sure I do, what else is a Baron’s son good for?” he said with some bitterness. “I’m too old for a tutor, and father is too young to retire. I’m his only heir so I can’t leave and see the world. I’m only fit for the hunt and for rescuing damsels in distress.”
You didn’t need rescuing.
Hush Elyria, he can think he rescued me if he wants to. I turned to the young man. “So your name’s Tiernan?”
“It is but you can call me Tier, and you are?”
“Jade.”
“Of course you are.” He took my hand and kissed it. “Lovely lady Jade, of the green dress.”
Man, this guy’s has style.
He’s a rogue.
Shut up.
***
Sighing I shook my head. “This place is too large, and what’s with the nuddy paintings on the walls?” I studied the mural, and then I frowned at Barnabas. “Is this a brothel?”
“It could be?” he hedged. “I thought you might want this for your clients? If you can avoid trouble with the new priest, it’s close to town, and the pubs.”
“You see one female by herself and you thing the worst?” I shook my finger under his nose and his eyes got big. “Shame on you,” I said and walked out. “I feel filthy just being in that place.”
He followed me out and studied me a moment. “You’re really not a harlot?”
“God, no,” I snapped at him. “I told you I want a place close to the edge of town.”
“Why do you want a place here?”
“I’ve come a long way traveling by myself, and I’m tired. I want to stay in one place and rest for a while.”
“Okay, come this way,” he lead me further down the dusty rutty road. He opened the door to a house long neglected.
The musty smell of dust and long closed up rooms rushed out at us, and it left a coating on the back of my tongue. I also smell something else. “Did someone die here?”
“How do you know?” he asked surprised.
“I can smell old illness in the air.”
“The family of five died of a fever last winter. Are you a healer then?”
“I was for a time. I was with the army.” I picked up a child’s toy that was left on the floor. It had wooden rings around a solid round piece in the middle, and a knob at either end so the rings wouldn’t fall off.
“The camp followers usually take care of the men. You’re a whore,” he spat out the word.
Turning weary eyes on him I said, “You’re judging me again and you don’t even know the full story.”
He crossed his arms. “So tell me, are you a whore or not?”
“It’s an old tale, and I’m sure you’ve heard something like it before. Someone wanted the piece of land where I was living. An army was at the gates. I decided it was time to go, and snuck out of the city. Several soldiers thought it would be great fun to gang rape me. A captain stopped them. I was suitable grateful.” I looked at the disgust in his eyes. “What would you have done?”
I’ll tell you what he would do, he’d grease his arse and called himself Mary, snapped Elyria. You did what you needed to do to save my life. Army’s kill dragons. Don’t let this prissy man talk to you like that. Let me out and I’ll take care of him. I bet he’s crunchy and will taste good with ketchup.
Thank you my friend, but I can handle this.
“Did you run away from your captain?” he said snidely.
“No, we had a long talk,” I set the toy on the table in the kitchen. I think it had been a rattle. “He told me war was coming, and it was going to be a bad one. He wanted me to leave and go to some place safe.”
“He cared for you?”
“Yes he did. He was a good man.”
He nodded. “That’s about as married as some captains get.” He looked around, and asked, “How about this place?”
I don’t like it here, it smells funny, Elyria said.
“No sorry this isn’t what I’m looking for either.”
“I have one more for you to look at,” he said and headed out the door and I followed him. We walked to the edge of town and there was a small cottage with a fenced yard that ran around it. The garden and yard appeared over grown and full of long grass and wild flowers. We walked up the steps to the small porch with a broken down rocking chair.
I like this place.
We haven’t even gone inside yet?
I know but it smells good, and there is a good feeling here. This place was much loved by its former occupant. It was someone’s treasure. Let’s take it.
We went inside and there was dust everywhere and cobwebs strung across the corners of the doorjamb. Barnabas cleared it away with his hand then wiped a hanky that he pulled out of his sleeve. “A little old lady lived here,” he told me. “Her son works for the baron and he paid the rent for her. She died over a year ago in her sleep. Old age I think.”
The living room sported a spinning wheel in the corner next to the hearth, and a broken down tapestry chair. In the bedroom the narrow bed was covered in layers of dust. I went into the kitchen and there was a table with a cutting board and knife next to it. A couple of pots and pans hung from a wrought iron thing that hung from the ceiling, and a cauldron from a hook arm in the cooking hearth. There was a brick sink against the wall and a pump next to it. I walked over and gave it a try.
“The son is an inventor; he installed that, so his elderly mum wouldn’t have to haul water.”
“I think the pump needs to be primed for this to work,” I told him giving up.
Narrowing his eyes at me he asked, “How do you know that?”
“In my travels I have seen many things,” I shrugged.
“That’s right you must have seen a great part of the world traveling around with your captain.”
“Yeah, I did.”
You know that’s not true.
Let it go Elyria, he doesn’t need to know my life's story.
“What do you think of this place?”
I like it.
“Its fine,” I opened the back door, and scared a pregnant cat who ran away.
“Shoo scat,” Barnabas yelled after it.
I frowned at him. “Don’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“Cats are good for catching mice.”
He looked around the dust covered floor and the mice trails and dropping. “Maybe you do need one at that.”
Gazing out the door I could see that it was a nice sized yard. “I could have a vegetable garden out there and chickens too.”
“There’s a well, and you’ll have water from the creek when the snow melts.”
“Sounds good.”
“You’ll take it?”
You know my vote.
Then it’s unanimous. “Yes,” I nodded.
“Welcome to you new home,” he spit in his hand and held it out.
Cringing I took it and he gave it a good hard shake. Yuck.
“Now how are you going to pay the rent? Did your captain give you coin or did you want to do it in trade,” he leered at me.
“Get your eyes back in your head Barnabas.” I walked back to the table and took out a cloth and dusted a corner, then set my tote down. Rummaging through it I pulled out a small leather bag.
He yanked it away from me. He studied the design on the bag then frowned at me. “This is Captain McCarthy’s insignia.”
“Yes,” I crossed my arms frowning at him.
“You were Mac’s woman?”
“Yes,” I took it back. I poured out gem stones into my palm.
He a selected few out and held one up to the light from the open door. “He gave you these?”
“They’re to help me get settle somewhere.”
“I know Mac. He came through the pass a few times with his troops. He keeps them in line. He’s a good leader and a good man.”
“I know,” I said looking down at the bag in my hand, and slowly caressed it with a thumb. The only that I had left of him. Sighing I said, “I hated to leave him.”
“The war that you said you were fleeing from . . .”
“It’s coming this way.”
His eyes bulged and he asked, “When?”
“I’m not sure exactly, but the campaign is suppose to begin sometime this summer.”
“That’s information I need to tell the baron.” He looked at the gems in his hand, he handed all back but a smoky quartz and a medium sized ruby. The quartz wasn’t a real valuable gem but one that big and flawless was hard to come by. “This will pay for a year’s rent. The rest you should sell at the money leaders. Rory Boyle is an honest man, you can trust him.”
“A year, that’ll be long enough,” I said thoughtfully.
He asked, “Long enough for what?”
“Long enough for me to get rested, and then decide what I want to do next.”
“Good, I let you settle in.”
“Thank you.” I saw him to the door and watched him walk down the narrow dirt road in the lengthening shadows. I walked back into the home, and looked at the dust that covered everything. “Time to house clean.”
You’re on your own.
“Elyria I could use your help,” I said walking back to the kitchen.
Not on your life sweetie. I am a dragon. That means I don’t do window, house work, or menial chores.
“Then loan me some of your power so I can.”
Alright, but you know this is going to cost you.
I asked, “How much?” I reached into my tote bag and pulled out a long broom. The tote was a “bag of holding.” The gems weren’t the only thing in there.
I want the mice and that nice big rat I smell in the wall.
“Done, but you have to catch them yourself.”
Then you’ll have to let me out, and that’ll add another cost to you in the long run.
“Sure when the cleaning is finished.”
Fine, I heard a sigh. Brace yourself.
“Okay,” I said and then shuddered when I felt the dragon magic burn along my nerve ending. “Oh ye-aah.”
From what I understand most human’s hate that sensation.
“Most humans would have killed themselves when they found out that they were a were-dragon.”
Most humans are weak.
“I’m not,” I said and gestured to the fireplace and the logs caught fire.
No you’re not sweetie.
“Clear sweep,” I ordered the broom and made one pass over the wall, and grinned at the result. The wall sparkled clean and shinny. “Oh I’m good.”
You are with my magic.
***