A Dragon's Tale Ch. 10

"I did," She poked her head over the railing and glanced in Raklan's direction. "However, someone threw your barrels overboard after you left."

There was quite a commotion as Ethan, Alana, and Rachel all turned to chew out Raklan. Hailey tuned them out as she waged war within herself.

On the one hand, the proverbial devil on her shoulder was making a very compelling case. If they wanted to rescue Taloni - and get killed in the process - why should she care? They would do it anyway and she would just be helping them do what they wanted. Shouldn't friends do that? Besides, she did owe them a favor, and this might count...

On the other hand, she'd be giving them the tools they needed to commit suicide. It was like giving a loaded gun to someone who was suicidal. It was like giving a bomb-vest to a known terrorist.

She shouldn't do it.

Then she thought about her former owner...

Her hand once again moved to rest over her stomach where the scar lingered. If anyone deserved to die, it was that bastard. She hoped to God that hell was real because she wanted him to burn for all eternity. He deserved that, and much worse.

The proverbial angel on her other shoulder countered: "But what about Ethan, Alana, and Rachel; do they deserve to die?" They were good people and she would basically be sending them to their deaths.

Round and round she went, teetered between the two choices. Eventually, the others had finished chewing Raklan out, and Ethan brought her out of her reverie.

"Hailey, do you know any caves around here where we can find bats?" he asked.

"The market in Arcanum," Hailey said without meaning to. It just slipped out without her thinking.

"Come again?"

"You can get potassium nitrate at the market in Arcanum." She explained. "They use it to preserve food."

"They use bat shit to preserve food?" Alana's eyes went wide. "That's gross."

"Not quite, but close enough," Hailey replied. She had always steered away from food preserved that way.

"Yeah, during the Middle ages on earth they used it for the same thing," Ethan said. "I just wish Lord Delmar didn't have his airships at Arcanum looking for us. Then we could go buy some."

"They're probably gone," Rachel said. "Standard protocol only has them looking for two days. If they haven't left yet, they will soon. It's still early, we should be able to make it back by mid-afternoon."

"Excellent." Ethan grinned. "Then we'll head back to Arcanum, pick up some saltpeter, and then we can start making some gunpowder," He finished with quite the smile on his face, showing a large array of wickedly sharp teeth.

Hailey tried to return the smile, but she didn't feel it. She had just sentenced them to death. Nobody kills a dragon that size, not unless they were in the emperor's personal guard. Even then, there weren't many of those left since that debacle a couple years back.

Her guilt faded somewhat as she thought about meeting her former owner with a knife in her hand. Fortunately, the Argo didn't keep their weapons locked up. A quick trip to the hold would be enough. That bastard was going to pay for what he'd done.

She heard that when you go out for revenge, you should first dig two graves.

She was ready to dig.

* * *

Kendra lashed her ship to the bollards on a micro-berth in Arcanum's dock. She looked around, breathed in the putrid stench of the dock and smiled; it was good to be back in civilization. Here, you could simply disappear amid the vast throng of humans, Elves, Fey, and the like. With the right clothes and style, you could be completely invisible while walking down the street.

She smiled wider, finished stowing her things in the ship, and then headed for the dock master.

"That'll be one silver deposit, plus two coppers per day," a very bored, overweight dock master mumbled when Kendra arrived.

She paid the fee, then pulled out a gold coin and rolled it back and forth on the tops of her fingers. The dock master's eyes lit up at the sight and he followed the coin on her fingers like a hawk watches its prey.

"You seem like a smart fellow who knows a good deal when he sees it," Kendra lied while doing her best to look cute. Men always were more willing to do favors when she looked cute. "I'm hoping to meet a friend here, I just don't know if he's arrived yet. Is there any way I could find out?"

The dock master was still following the gold coin rolling on the tops of her fingers when he replied. "I suppose I could take a look."

"Perfect." She purposely rolled the gold coin over the side of her finger and gave it a little nudge. It fell to the ground and rolled quite close to the dock master, who stopped it with his foot.

"Oh dear me." Kendra said in mock surprise. "I suppose the law says the one who finds it can keep it."

The dock master smiled a toothy grin, revealing he didn't have many teeth. "Who's your friend?"

"His ship is The Midnight Sun,"

The dock master flipped through his list for a minute or two before responding. "Yup, arrived over a week ago. Pier 24."

"You're such a dear," Kendra lied, and gave him a winning smile. "I appreciate it so much."

The dock master bent down to pick up his gold coin. She turned and let the fake smile fall from her face and rolled her eyes; idiot. She grabbed a bag of gear from her airship, slung it over her shoulder, and set off.

A long walk later, Kendra was on pier 24 looking at The Midnight Sun. It wasn't a large airship, but it was packed with boarding ballistae. Few ships in the ten kingdoms were faster. There wasn't a soul on deck, but her gut told her she was being watched.

"Falkaan, you old man; aren't you going to invite a girl in?" she called.

The Elf appeared on the quarter deck wearing his trademark blue sailor's coat and tricorn hat. His pale face was darker than she remembered, though still lighter than hers. The stump of his left arm was even more obvious now that he'd sewn the sleeve up.

His jet black hair still made quite the contrast with his face. His almond shaped eyes were still filled with intelligence, though they looked somehow older; more world weary. She knew he was at least fifty, but his eyes looked older; much older.

He was laughing. "How do you always know?"

"I had a good teacher," Kendra gave him a respectful nod of the head, which he returned.

"You're too kind."

She made her way up the gangplank onto Falkaan's ship and dropped her bag of gear on the deck. Falkaan climbed down from the quarterdeck and greeted her with a huge hug.

"It's been too long old friend," Falkaan said.

'Hey, who are you calling old?" she said in mock offense.

"You have an old soul," Falkaan replied, then chuckled. "I thought that's why you left the game."

"It was," Kendra touched the necklace that was still concealed beneath her shirt. "Sometimes the past won't let go though."

"You kept it," Falkaan observed. "Was that wise?"

"Probably not, but... I don't know; as close as we were, I wanted something as a keepsake."

"Curious you chose a tooth from the dragon that killed him, but I know what you mean." Falkaan touched the stump of his left arm. "I was lucky to stay whole for so long. You were smart to get out when you did."

"I couldn't take it anymore."

Falkaan nodded. "A decade is a long time, especially when you start so young."

"Eleven isn't young. Didn't you start at eight?"

"And stayed way too long," he nodded. "But enough reminiscing about a dead past; what brings you here?"

"A steel gray dragon and a wood elf."

Falkaan nodded. "Let's get some drinks."

He led her into the hold where he grabbed a bottle of mead and a few glasses. A few minutes later saw them sitting on the quarterdeck chatting away like nothing had changed in the intervening years.

"Do you ever see any of the old squad?" he asked.

"No, I went solo after..." She touched the necklace again. "I just didn't want to go through that again."

"Friends are a true luxury in life," Falkaan nodded, then waved his hand toward the city. "These people don't know how lucky they are."

"Do you ever wish you could leave all this and just settle down?"

"You can take the man out of the job, but you can't take the job out of the man," Falkaan replied. "I'm too old for family. Besides how could I ever trust someone that much?"

"Still, it would be nice," she nodded. Despite all the respect she had for her old mentor, despite all the times he'd saved her life, she wouldn't ever be able to trust him completely. He had never betrayed her trust, but he had trained her never to trust an agent - or former agent - of the emperor.

He had never steered her wrong either.

They sat in companionable silence for a bit while they sipped their mead. It was a good vintage, the honey-wine was pleasant on her tongue and soothing to the soul. As she sat there contemplating the prospect of fully trusting someone again - of having a true friend again - she found herself hoping against hope that it could happen again one day.

Sadly, she didn't think it could.

She found herself getting lost in memories of a bygone era, where trust did exist and the emperor and Illuminar Himself seemed to shine down upon her. From the depths of her heart, she wished for that again.

"So, about dragons and wood elves," Kendra finally said. "What do you know?"

"As much as I want to help, I've been on their trail too."

"Lord Delmar had someone track me down and hire me to take it out. He offered double my usual rate; quadruple if I took them alive. I'll split it with you."

Falkaan whistled. "Deal. I saw the dragon fly north five days ago, his airship - with the wood elf - left the day after."

"Are you working with any assets?"

Falkaan shook his head. "No, unless you count Mr. Damon. He's one of the best airship pilots I've ever met, but couldn't fight his way out of a burlap sack."

"You and I versus a vicious dragon?"

"Just like old times."

Kendra laughed. "You'd know about old times wouldn't you?"

Falkaan ignored her jab, "Unfortunately, it's not just the dragon and the wood elf anymore," and then he described the dragon's flame-haired companion and her parentage.

"Lord Delmar's daughter?" Kendra mused, then whistled. "How in Illuminar's name could a dragon have persuaded a Lord's daughter to follow him willingly?"

"Unknown," Falkaan shrugged. "The dragon hasn't been here long enough for a will-breaker ring either."

Kendra racked her brain for a minute trying to think of an explanation. She couldn't.

"Did you ever think some of them were innocent?" Falkaan asked after several moments.

"The dragons no. Some of the others... Not likely, but possible? Why?"

"I talked with Mr. Damon before and something about the bounty on this dragon seems... odd. Even more so if Lord Delmar is willing to pay your rates."

"Oh?"

"It was too high from the start," Falkaan explained. "Lord Delmar seems to want this dragon very badly, but I can't figure out why."

"Probably for nothing good," She couldn't decide if she was happy or concerned about that; he was a dragon after all. "Speaking of, do you still have your dragon slayer?"

Falkaan nodded. "It's in the hold. Though obviously with this arm I can't use it anymore though."

"Do you mind if I borrow it?"

Falkaan hesitated, then nodded again. "So that's why you tracked me down. You only want me for my equipment."

Kendra laughed. "Partially, dragon slayers are hard to come by and expensive as Saidow's lair to make. The other reason is you're the best tracker I've ever seen. I'm no slouch, but finding this dragon will go a lot faster with your help."

"No need," Falkaan replied. "I know exactly where the dragon is. I just needed someone with enough experience dragon slaying before I went after him. We'll leave at dawn."

Kendra grinned.

* * *

Ethan sat in the captain's cabin of the Argo trying to remember everything he'd learned about electricity and lightning. He knew electricity was nothing more than the flow of electrons from one place to another, and that Electrons were negatively charged.

He knew the earth was negatively charged, which meant it had an excess of electrons. In a thunderstorm, the clouds accumulate a negative charge at the bottom. This negative charge creates a powerful electrical field which repels the electrons on the earth's surface, temporarily making the earth positively charged.

Then when the charge imbalance was great enough, lightning would form as the electrons flowed from the negatively charged cloud to the positively charged earth.

So if he wanted to use electricity as a weapon, he needed to... Absorb electrons? That would make him negatively charged, and then when he hit someone the electrons would flow through them as electricity. He hoped it would hit like a taser or stun gun, but to absorb electrons, he needed to make himself positively charged.

Great, how do you do that?

He was sitting there trying to figure it out when he heard a knock on the cabin door.

*Knock, knock,* Alana's voice rang in his head.

"Come in."

She opened the door, stepped inside, and closed it behind her.

Objectively speaking, Alana wasn't the most beautiful woman in the world. From Ethan's perspective though, no one else came close. Well, maybe Taloni or Beth, but no one else.

Her chocolate brown hair fell in cascading waves down her shoulders back. She had tied a lock from each of her temples so they met in the back of her head. The style allowed for an unobstructed view of her face, and what a sight it was to behold. Her lips, nose, eyes, and chin were models of feminine perfection. Her cheeks were sun-kissed and possessed a smattering of subtle freckles.

Her frame was petite and tiny, though she had all the proper curves in all the best places. Her legs weren't excessively long, but her hips were wide and her waist narrow. Her breasts weren't very large - maybe a full B-cup - but they were the perfect shape and very perky.

Ethan sighed.

She cocked her head to one side. "What?"

"I was just enjoying the view," Ethan replied while looking into her eyes; they were a rich hazel color and full of warmth and kindness.

Her cheeks went slightly pink and she gave him an embarrassed smile. "Thank you."

"Oh, I meant the door," he said in a deadpan 'I'm perfectly serious' tone. "The carving is exquisite."

Alana looked behind her at the door, which was completely plain and unadorned by carvings, or anything else for that matter. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it and her smile went from one of embarrassment to an odd mix of contentment and confusion.

"You're the most unique man I've ever met."

"Thanks. I think?"

"It was a compliment. My parents always told me that the world was full of men who would try to take advantage, but there were only a few good ones. You're one of the good ones."

"I'm glad you think so." Ethan said, though the fact that he didn't agree obviously showed on his face because she frowned.

"It's true," she said. "No matter what you think, it's true."

"Again, I'm glad you think so."

Alana walked over to the bed and sat down next to him. "What's so wrong with you Ethan? Why are you so convinced you're not a good man - or dragon?"

"Beth." He said simply, recalling what happened to her.

"Everyone makes mistakes." She countered. "What if we were fighting for our lives and someone was trying to kill Rachel. Let's say I shot an arrow at the man but missed, and because I missed he was able to kill her. Would you blame me?"

"Of course not, but would you blame yourself?"

She nodded. "I see your point, but it doesn't change mine."

"True." He went over everything that had happened since coming to this world. The first day with Alana had been wonderful. After that, his life had done nothing but unravel, taking hers with it.

"I wish I could go back in time," he said finally.

"Oh?"

"To when I first came here," He continued. "It would've been so easy to lie to Hermair and say I was a dragon, not a man. If I'd only known... then he wouldn't have pursued me, you'd still have your staff farm, and we would've never gotten mixed up in all of this."

"That's not what I would change." She replied.

"Oh?"

She shook her head. "I learned what kind of man you are in those first two days. You matched wits with Drousin to save my life, and then you charged a dozen armed men to protect me - a girl you'd just met - and got shot twice doing it. Yes I lost many things, but I wouldn't change that for the world."

"Then what would you change?"

The wood elf was silent for a moment before answering. "Nothing, I wouldn't change a thing."

"Nothing?"

She shook her head. "The only thing I would even consider changing is Beth's death. But even that is... tricky. Our choices define us Ethan. Good or bad, we are forged into who we are by our actions. To wish to go back and change them is to wish the people around us were different.

"For example," she turned to face him more. "You could've lied to Hermair, but what kind of a person lies without a very good reason? Yes it would've saved you some trouble, but it would mean you aren't the honest man I know you are. I could wish we'd decided not to save Beth and her brother in the forest, but that would mean you aren't be the selfless person you are.

She smiled. "I could wish for any one of a thousand changes, but all of them would mean you wouldn't be the person I know - and love."

He put his arm around her and pulled her into a hug. "It's amazing how much heart you have packed into that tiny body."

She smiled as she hugged him back. "Your heart isn't any smaller."

"Man, with you and Rachel tag-teaming me, you're making it hard for a guy to wallow in self-pity."

"Good." Alana pulled away from the hug and looked at him adoringly.

She had an errant strand of hair that had fallen out of place in their hug. He reached up and gently brushed it out of her face. As he did so, the tips of his fingers brushed her cheek so lightly, he wasn't sure he made contact.

She remedied that.

She adjusted her head a fraction so his fingertips made solid - though light - contact with her cheek. He wasn't sure, but he thought he heard a soft sigh escape her lips at the momentary contact.

She was perfect.

He was sure of that.

Despite everything that had happened, despite everything he had put her through, she was still here, still in love with him. She was without a doubt the kindest, most loving woman he had ever met. She was also courageous, devoted, clever, and incredibly beautiful.

She was perfect.

He stared into her rich, hazel eyes for several seconds before speaking.

"I love you Alana."

"And I you." She seemed to radiate happiness for several seconds before getting a mischievous gleam in her eyes. She stood up, looked at the large bay window, and then said with barely suppressed laughter. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to jump out the nearest window..."

He laughed, then stood up and grabbed her around the waist, ostensibly to stop her. She pretended to be fighting to get at the enormous bay window. When she didn't stop, he let go with one hand so he could tickle her. She shrieked in surprise then started trying to get away in earnest. They wrestled for almost a minute with Alana trying to get away as he tickled her mercilessly.

Finally, she managed to break away but nearly fell over laughing. He was ready to go after her, but had to clutch his side he was laughing so hard at her lack of grace. They both took a few moments to catch their breath and they smiled into each other's eyes.

For a few seconds, life was perfect

Then Ethan remembered something that would likely throw a massive, battleship-sized wrench into their relationship.