The Dragonskin Chronicles Bk. 02

"Well, you eat only fruit and vegetables."

"That is my personal choice, Wyn, and yes, at feasts I have dined on tiny morsels of roasted squirrel and braised rabbit. Anyway, our lost Prince trod lightly on a trap and found himself trapped inside a rope net, suspended from a tree. Poor Evenmoz didn't even have a knife on him as he always had a servant to cut up his meat. He flapped his wings to fly up and see where the bag was tied to the tree. He thought that if he could untie the knots, he could fly off with the net around him until he could land somewhere safe to loosen the gathering at the top of the net bag and escape. The knot was too far out of reach, but by pulling on the rope he was able to drag the heavy net up the rope until he could reach the knot. However, once untied, the rope bag was too heavy for him and he fell to the ground and banged his head, losing consciousness. When he awoke he found his broken mm leg was being eaten by a bear."

"No!"

"Yes, it had its claws into him and was gnawing at his thigh. He couldn't get away. Suddenly, there was a shout from the edge of the clearing, where there stood a maiden, with long flowing blond hair. She carried a bow and, as the bear turned to see who was shouting, she shot the bear through the throat. Even so, the bear tried to get up and charge the girl, but two more swift arrows followed and the bear fell dead at Evenmoz's feet with two arrows in its head."

"That's a dramatic story, it seems too scary for children."

"Children love scary stories, especially when they are tucked up in a cosy bed with family or friends all around them."

"So what happened?"

"The human girl cut him free. As they stood facing each other, the tall, slim girl, so capable with the bow, calm and brave, with the similarly built Elf, with his wings, handsome features and melodious voice, each was immediately captivated by the other. She introduced herself as Dhamatrya. The rest of her people mistrusted the Elf, especially as he repaired the damage to his thigh so swiftly with the webs in his purse. The Mankind of Dharmatrys's tribe didn't like his gentle nature as then Man had a harder life than they do now. Eventually the pair of lovers were chased from her people's land. They left the way he had come and found their way to his fellow Elves who welcomed him and his new bride. Dhamatrya was delighted that Evenmoz was gentle and loving and soon they had a large number of children, all human, but all better made humans than the tribe they were descended from. Over generations, these children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Dhamatrya became so numerous that they formed their own town. By now they had learned much from the Elves and were very much in harmony with their natural environment."

"So Dhamatrya and Evenmoz were together until Dhamatrya died?"

"Yes, they were, and Dhamatrya was his Queen into quite old age, around a couple of centuries, with the help of Elvish magic and a better understanding of nature and the effects of nutrition and vitamins on the human body. King Evenmoz lived on for many centuries after, and remarried, this time to an Elf to continue the noble line, including my Queen Dhymonia who is the eldest of the Elfin daughters of King Evenmoz. My King was among those Elves who were killed at Hawkshart by the dragons. And your family, I sense strongly, are descended from Dhamatrya, so in a way we are kin."

"Now that, is a lovely story, to tell our daughter one day."

***

Clive tells a story to his children Katie and Chloë, who are 10 and 8 and share a room in their three-bedroom house. The eldest Katie was really tired and feeling sick as she'd eaten too many burgers and wanted the lights down low so she could go to sleep, while Chloë had drunk too much cola and eaten too much candy floss and was eager for any story. It was too dark to read from a book, so Clive made up a story.

"Once upon a time...."

"Aww, Dad, I'm 8 and a half, not 3."

"All right. In a far away land of fair fields and castles there was this beautiful princess--"

"Did she look like me or like Katie?"

"Oh, she looked like you, with long blond hair and rosy cheeks, blue eyes and brim full of cuteness."

"Aww."

"She was courted by princes and lords from all the land and all the rest of the world, they came from far and wide. The suitors were champions at anything you care to think of, like fighting dragons and juggling oranges. But the Princess wasn't really happy, as although the princes were all fun to go out and play with, none of them felt right to be the man she would have children with and share grandchildren to play with and grow old together."

"Was she sad on her own, Daddy?"

"Yes, I think she was but, being a Princess, she was probably too self-centred to notice how sad and lonely she felt. Then one day she met an ordinary chap."

"What were their names, Daddy? The princess and the ordinary man"

"Their names? Oh, well, the er Princess was Princess Cindy and the ordinary chap, a Commoner, was called Colin."

"And did they live happily ever after, Daddy?"

"Well, sweetheart, they did live happily for a while, and they had three lovely children. But the King and Queen never really liked Commoner Colin and disrespected him all the time. Commoner Colin didn't think that mattered all the while he was sure he loved the lovely princess and was also sure that she loved him just as much in return. Then Princess Cindy realised that she wasn't happy with an ordinary Commoner any more. She was a princess after all and she had married a very ordinary chap who could never be a king or she felt would ever amount to anything. So Princess Cindy decided that she wanted to be courted by a champion again, and she picked Baron Badgerbutt as her new man. So, they broke up their marriage and Commoner Colin moved out of the Castle and moved into a hermitage in the deep, dark wood--"

"What's a her-me-tayge, Daddy?"

"It's like a small house with no upstairs and only one room with a couch that turns into a bed. so Commoner Colin and Princess Cindy only saw each other when Colin visited the children. But the good part of the story is, the children ended up with two Daddies who both tried to outdo each other with presents to win the children's affection."

"That's sad Daddy, very sad for the children, they must've missed their real Daddy."

"Only for a while, because they saw their new Daddy all the time and they'd get double the attention from two Daddies, double the presents."

"But it wouldn't ever be the same, Daddy, would it? They would not be living with their real Daddy any more. There wouldn't be an happy ever after."

"No, you're right baby, it would never be the same again. You sleep well, your Daddy will still be here in the morning."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Chapter 3

Attack!

The Dwarf Army of Man soon reached the snow line a mile up the steadily climbing pass through the mountains. By the middle of the day fresh snow started falling heavily again and the earlier falls, on top of old crystalline snow that had been compacted by a couple of thousand boots, became very slippery in places, particularly rocky inclines and declines as the road followed a path of least resistance through the unbending mountain. The width of the pass varied too, from six Dwarves abreast down to just one or two. Both those variations had the effect of stringing the Army out, with dangerous gaps opening up, reducing the dependability of the whole and risking disaster befalling on the smaller groups.

Korwyn had ridden back through the marching army to check on progress and saw this problem developing. He sent messengers from the Skirmishers to ride to the front and rear of the march to adjust the speed of progress to keep them all closer together. He waited in a wider part of the pass where he could dismount and observe progress of those already gone through and those behind who were trying to catch up. From his viewpoint looking down the line it was difficult to see the gaps that had opened up. But about 500 feet away, where a particularly narrow point with a rise up and dip down due to a succession of rockfalls, a sizeable gap become obvious to Korwyn.

He mounted up and set off towards the danger area. His mount had only taken a few steps when there was a mighty thunderflash, like a bolt of lightning striking the mountain, to be followed by a loud clap of thunder and a wall of air rushed past him.

Ahead it looked like half the mountain was falling, with huge rocks and boulders rolling down and filling the gap with snow, ice and rock debris, followed by small groups of loose stones and boulders bouncing down what had become a new rock surface right across the road. The area was becoming obscured by the clouds of powdery snow launched into the air like a fog.

Korwyn urged his horse on, but it was clearly only safe to ride a short way as the road had become impassable by mounts, full of loose snow and ice and possibly people buried beneath the rockfall. From his position he could only see this side of what was a enormous pile of masonry, snow and ice, and he had no idea how extensive it was. He dismounted and started to scramble up the fresh spoil heap. For every two steps up, he slipped one back and it was impossible to see much in front of his face as the cold air was filled with powdery snow released by the rockfall still falling through several thousand feet.

Around him, sturdy Dwarves had left the back of the last unit that had gone through the gap and were trying to make their way to the top of the rock fall behind Korwyn.

Behind the barrier ahead of him Korwyn could hear the sounds of a fight taking place. The avalanche was deliberate therefore, he told himself, but who was the actual aggressor his Army faced? As he scrabbled up the last part of the slope, his practiced hand loosened the bindings holding his double-edged battle axe on his back, then he held it in one hand while outspreading his other hand holding the second short Dwarf sword that the witch Queen Urmah had offered and he'd accepted before leaving, knowing how useful it would prove to be in close combat. He knew not how he could possibly refuse the offer. Well balanced, with weapons outstretched, he slid down the rocks towards the sounds of the battle as confidently and surefooted as he recalled Zyndyr's was in an earlier battle.

As he slid down and got close to the battle, he could see hordes of Orcs streaming from open fissures in the side of the rocky mountain and joining in battle with the Dwarves, who had drawn themselves into squares behind their round shields, bristling with stubby swords and long metal tipped pikes.

Korwyn was angry. Dwarves were being attacked and dying and he felt he was responsible for them, all volunteer Dwarves prepared to battle for a Man's honour in a Man's world far from their homes. As he approached the skirmish he calculated that about an eighth part of his force had been isolated by the rockfall. Even if his entire army turned to enjoin with these new enemies, there was a bottleneck, so basically these Dwarves were on their own.

'But not completely alone,' he said to himself and he made his determined way to the battle.

When he hit the level road, he sheathed his Dwarf sword, that had ably aided his balanced descent, and then swung his axe two-handed at the nearest Orcs, who were blinking their eyes at the sudden light of day, as they emerged from the largest cave mouth that Korwyn could see through the snow cloud.

"No!" he roared, "You will not take these brave Dwarves in cowardly ambush! Nay, ye cursed Orcs, ye'll sleep with your eyes wide open, tonight and evermore!"

And to the left and right of him stupefied Orcs were cut down like meadow grass in June. As more Orcs poured through the fissure, being pushed no doubt from behind and within the mountain, Korwyn simply swung his deadly glistening blade back and forth, laying evil smelling body parts in layers, heads to left and right, torsos where they crumpled in the centre. His double edged axe was like an Orc-magnet, the foul creatures drawn like moths into the sharp blade that ended the misery of their very existence. The snow that laid about him ran as red as a slaughterhouse floor just before the celebration of the midwinter feast.

From the nearest squares of Dwarves defending themselves against these foul beasts, came a roar that soon spread among them all, "Lord Korwyn Dragon And Orc Slayer!" which they repeated as with fresh heart they advanced together with determination and drove the now disheartened Orcs before them, stabbing them to the ground and trampling their ugly misshapen skulls into the bloody ice.

Korwyn continued to swish back and forth like a maddened harvester of souls, but the ugly beasts continued to come forth from the heart of the mountain. He just gritted his teeth and continued the reaping with a grim paced rhythm that he was certain he could keep up for hours if he survived the occasional pinprick that got through his steady arc of death. On either side of him, dwarves arrived to battle nearby fissures that Orcs were issuing forth from and doing their damnedness in stemming the screaming flow from below the mountain.

Suddenly, an explosion from above the cave entrance sent down a rain of stones ranging from fist to Orc-head size. Another explosion higher up the mountain caused a rumble and a roar and Korwyn yelled, "Back, lads, back!" as down the mountain came another rockfall that buried the Orcs outside and trapped the reinforcing Orcs within. Korwyn turned to find the source of this turn of events.

There, hovering off the ground on beating wings so small they looked as though they couldn't lift a fallen dry leaf, yet suspended the Elf as if she was as light a dandelion seed.

"Are you all right, Wyn?" she called, anxiety heavy in her voice.

"Aye," he answered, "naught but a couple of scratches."

"Well, come with me and I'll treat them. There are medics coming to help with the wounded."

"Let us get our heroes here over the barrier and onto the road away from this evil place, first."

A burly Sergeant approached. "We was surprised when they comes out the ground, Sire, but we's soon sorted usselves out. We's lost two good dwarfmen an' a few walkin' wounded but we'll mek us own way up the line, my Lord."

"Aye, ye will, Sergeant," Korwyn grinned, and raised his voice so all the Dwarves, those in the fight and those that came back to rescue them, "you are the first of our Army to be blooded in this campaign and you won't be the last, but you acquitted yourselves admirably and I'm proud to serve with you all."

As a man they shouted, "Lord Korwyn Dragon And Orc Slayer!" with grins on their faces, as if they were just out for a gentle stroll after their daily toil instead of facing dangers at every turn, with the prize of changing the course of history at the end of their long roadway from their loved ones.

A little embarrassed by the display of affection, Korwyn walked back to his mount with his Lady the Elf-Warrior by his side.

***

Clive was deeply wounded by Carole's betrayal. He knew this was something that will damage him for the rest of his life. He was brought low on both fronts anyway because it seemed no company wanted to employ him outside the home anymore and at home he had discovered that the woman he had committed his heart to fourteen years ago for the rest of his life, had no future use for him either.

His pride was damaged, his confidence in himself crushed. Lost was the future he thought they would have when their day to day responsibility for their children evolved into relative independence. It was something that Carole and he used to say to each other, "Just wait until the kids leave home!", and looked forward to that time with a pleasure that now seemed to have evaporated without leaving a trace other than the sour taste of regret to the one of the pair that had been cut out of the equation of family.

Now it looked like he'd be the one leaving the home well before even the first of their children reached puberty. Ahead of him he could see that he would have to face weekend visits to see the children, perhaps having them live with him for a week or two for holidays at whatever grotty little studio flat he could afford on his own, probably above some smelly fast food place, and having to deal with them and all their demands on his own. His children in turn would resent being taken away from their comfortable mother's home where they had their toys, computers, Wi-fi and neighbour friends. With no confidence, no money and anchored to a piecemeal existence with the remnants of his family, he could forget any chances of forming a new alliance with another female. Yeah, he thought, once bitten, was not much of an incentive for him to try again.

He tried to think through all his options. He was used to solving problems at work, whether they were in terms of quality, quantity, delivery issues, problems with the manufacturing process or machinery breakdowns. At work he was a fixer, no matter what it was, he could fix it. His work had given him purpose. But marriage? A marriage broken and nonfunctional? No, he couldn't possibly fix the unfixable. And now he had nowhere to go, no haven where he felt valued and loved.

His marriage was at an end, he was certain of that. It wasn't just the adultery by this wife, it was more than that. If it was a momentary lapse and she was putting in an effort to discharge her guilt, there might be grounds for reconciliation, probably with the aid of professional advice and counselling. But the continual abuse and disrespect, the demonstrable lack of love for him, well, it killed his love for her and there was no point in continuing a relationship without equal love on both sides.

He needed somewhere to live. He first needed to secure his finances, rationalise what he and she paid for after the split. He needed professional advice to be certain where his responsibilities lay as first step a separated husband and then in good time, a divorced husband and forcibly absent father. He needed a strategy and he needed time to line everything up before he pulled the plug on his terms.

***

"Are you feeling better, Wyn?" Zyndyr asked as soon as she noticed that he moved from unconsciousness to wakefulness.

Lord Korwyn blinked and shook his head and looked around to remind himself where he was and had been. Yes, he was in his and Zyndyr's tiny, barely two-person tent made of impervious dragonskin and camped in a forest deep in Goblin territory. It had taken a week to get through the snow and mists of the mountains and they had had to fight off Orcs almost all the way. The attacks had been sporadic and apparently unfocused, just maddened Orcs who charged the Dwarf lines time after time until they were killed. Damage to the Dwarf Army was slight, but the result was that it forged within them a fighting unit that was ever ready for whatever was thrown at them. Morale was high, especially as they were happier back below the tree line once more.

Korwyn gradually adjusted to consciousness. Goosegog mead, was powerful stuff but he knew that his body had needed the draught to relax to allow mortal flesh to heal overnight from fresh wounds received.

"What of my wounds?" he asked of his beloved Zyndyr smiling down on him.

"The slash to your sword arm will ache for a few days yet, my love, but the honey poultice has kept the wound clean and free of the odours which can weaken or even kill, your arm is safe, sweetheart. I have covered the dressing with a healing web which is light and flexible, so you can use the arm if you have to, but a day or two's light use would help if you could favour that arm. The other wounds were mostly bruises and minor cuts and are already as good as new."