Eachainn McDougall was in a very bad mood. The corporal could see it through the small glass window in his door that he was quite upset. That was a bad sign. McDougall had been in the army probably since before he was even born, the corporal guessed, and always he reacted to all kinds of news as if someone had just informed him that the Council of Princes were all wizards. Like he knew it already and it was blindingly obvious anyway. There had been something of a growl in his throat, but no more, when he heard the news yesterday morning. But what he witnessed yesterday evening was different. That had phased him, though only slightly. The news he received this morning, and the speculations, about this evening... he was all out of final straws.
Of course to anyone else the army chief was sitting there in his office calmly reading reports. But his corporal knew. He'd been working for him a long time and he knew by the scrunched up papers that hadn't made it to the bin, and the way his hair stuck on end from running his hand through it, and from how he ate dinner in his office by himself today instead of in the mess hall with the men... this was not a good day. And the corporal knew exactly what was causing this bad mood. He had the official report in his hand. He gulped and knocked on the door before entering.
"Sir? I have the final report now for your approval."
McDougall never looked up. "Thank you corporal. Leave it on my desk."
He did as he was told and quickly left. When he was outside the door he allowed himself a quick sigh of relief. He never wanted to do that again. Eachainn McDougall was in a tremendously bad mood.
Eachainn ignored it for a good ten seconds. For his approval indeed. He would liked to have entertained the notion that if he never read the official report, then it wouldn't be really true. But that was no way for an army general to behave. He picked up the report. It was covered in black hard parchment as was customary for reports of this kind. The Glantrian crest was emblazoned upon it in silver along with her banner. In small letters along the bottom, the words, 'Case 017D - 194: Commander Claudette d'Avignon Talmont. Swiftmont 13, 1015.' He opened it and saw the smaller report attached to the inside cover. He shook his head as he read its cover. The boy's name was on top. 'Jean-Phillipe Talmont (Dependant).' And just below it the words, 'Disappeared from Wendar barracks, Swiftmont 12, 1015.' He flicked it open and started to read.
Last sighting: 1 hour, Nighttime. Swiftmont 12, 1015.
Jean-Phillipe Talmont, born Felmont 19, 1005, was last seen in his bed in the private quarters of his mother, Commander Claudette d'Avignon Talmont in the Wendar barracks. Commander d'Avignon and a small party were on course to investigate a village rumour of Goblin activity in nearby caves.
Claudette came into the room and picked up her jacket from the bed. Jean-Phillipe immediately sat up. She gave him a cross look.
"You're not asleep yet. Why?"
He pouted. "I'm not tired. Can't I come with you?"
"Absolutely not! Now go to sleep! I'll be back soon."
He scrunched up his nose. "Mais Maman! I can help! I want to come with you! Why not?"
She put her uniform jacket on and fastened it up. "You're ten years old. That's why!" She went over to him and ruffled his hair. He jerked away from her.
"But I can fight good. You said I could. And I have a sword."
"Lie down." He gave an exasperated sigh but obeyed. She pulled the covers back over him. "Oui. For a ten year old boy you're a fine swordsman. Quel surpris. 'owever, I said no and that's the end of it. We don't know yet what it is out there. It is too dangerous. And it's bedtime."
He looked up at her then with big blue eyes. "But you'll come back?"
"I already said I would. Now do what you're told and go to sleep."
He rolled his eyes. "It's not fair."
She smiled. "C'est la vie, mon petit." She kissed his cheeks. "Bon nuit."
He relented and put his arms around her neck to kiss her back. "Bon nuit, Maman."
She patted his head again, this time without resistance and covered up the light as she left.
Nighttime. Swiftmont 12, 1015.
All routine patrols reported no unusual activity in the vicinity of d'Avignon's quarters.
A dark skinned soldier walked into the corridor nearest the mess hall where the high-ups all had their sleeping quarters. He swung his arms a little. Damn army uniforms were so itchy. What was it with Elves and their uniforms? The doors all had small windows in them. Well that would speed up checking them. He peered into each as he walked by. A couple more soldiers were coming down the corridor in the opposite direction and chattering to one another. He quickly bent down to wipe a spot from his shoe.
"So what do you think it is out there?"
His partner shrugged. "Dunno. Maybe the goblins are making one last ditch effort."
The first one peeped into a room, then nodded to his partner. "Fast asleep. Anyway they're wasting their time. They'll be sorry when the Commander finds them."
"Yeah, she looked ready to kill something when she left alright... ."
They walked past as if they never saw him. Probably because they didn't. He stood up only when they were gone, continuing with their patrol route. He quickly walked to the door that the soldier had looked through and smiled. Fast asleep just like they said was the young boy he was looking for.
"Time to come home."
He opened the door quietly and crossed the floor to the bed. He gently shook Jean-Phillipe by the shoulder. "Wake up, child."
"Maman?" Jean-Phillipe rubbed his eyes, barely awake. He blinked away his bleary vision then started.
"Who are you?!"
"Hush." He put a finger on the boy's lips. "You've to come with me now, child."
He frowned and rubbed his eyes again. "Where's Maman?"
The soldier's smile was dark. "She sent me for you. Hurry now." He picked him up into his arms. Jean-Phillipe rested against his shoulder and fell back asleep.
10 hours, Nighttime. Swiftmont 12, 1015.
The alarm was raised by Commander d'Avignon upon discovery of her son's absence. The possibility exists that the rumours from the village were perpetuated for no reason other than to draw her away from the barracks this night. Investigation ordered by General Eachainn McDougall.
Claudette sat in the mess hall with the rest of her party. They had been out all night in the cold and the snow and had found precisely nothing. They searched each of the caves. Someone had been there, and from the smell it probably was indeed Goblins, but they were long gone. It didn't make any sense. They had come back and were now filling up with weak, but warm, broth. She drank quietly while her men talked, then stood up.
"I suggest you all get an hour or two of sleep when you are finished here."
There were nods of "Yes, Commander", and "Aye, Sir". She opened her jacket and went to take her own advice. She smiled when she walked into the room. Jean-Phillipe was tucked up tight underneath his covers. She should let him sleep, let herself sleep... something wasn't right. She couldn't put her finger on what it was, just a feeling in the pit of her stomach. Not too dissimilar to the one she had when Michel left for Denagoth. Like she was never going to see him again. Of course that was absurd. He was the best commander in the army and nothing was going to happen to him. He'd be back before long. It was equally absurd this time. Probably something she ate. Or maybe she was pregnant again. She shook her head. Anything but that. It was nothing... but she went over to his bed anyway and sat down beside him. She rested her hand on the lump of blankets.
"Jean-Phillipe? Are you awake..." She frowned. It was too soft. She pulled back the blankets and found nothing but cushions.
Her breath caught in her throat as she was on her feet pulling them from the bed as if that would reveal him. He wasn't there.
She ran from her room and into that of Lieutenant Alana Cray. Alana woke instantly and blinked at her.
"Commander? Is something wrong?"
"Jean-Phillipe didn't come in 'ere, did 'e? Last night?"
She shook her head. "No. I haven't seen him. Is something wrong?"
"He's not in 'is bed..." She was back out the door with Alana quickly pulling a robe around her and following.
Her next stop was the room of her second in command and friend of old.
"Tallus? Wake up Tallus!"
He grumbled and rubbed his eyes, then looked at her standing above him and Alana beside her. "Damn, Claudette. I was in the middle of a dream..." He saw the look on her face and sat up. "What is it, Commander? What's happened?"
"My son. 'ave you seen 'im."
"I checked on him last night before I retired. He was sound asleep."
"Did you see 'im? Actually see him."
"Well no, he was under the covers as usual... is something wrong?"
Alana spoke up. "He might have just woke up early and gone for a walk..."
Claudette's glare shut her up fast. She stormed out and marched to the mess hall.
"Cook! COOK!!!" Claudette yelled when she wasn't answered the first time. Her men who were still sitting there all stopped their talking and were watching, unsure of what was going on. Alana and Tallus came in then in their state of half dress. After what was a very long few seconds the duty cook came out to the counter from his kitchens.
"Commander."
"Has my son been for breakfast yet zis morning?"
The cook frowned and looked out the window. It was still dark outside although dawn was not too far away. "Not yet, Commander. Doesn't he usually come with you? Or Lieutenant Cray?"
She looked about to punch something. The cook took a step back which only seemed to aggravate her further... Tallus' hand was on her shoulder.
"He can't have gone far Claudette. We'll find him."
One of her men stood up from the table. "What can we do, Commander?"
She closed her eyes, gulping down the blind panic that was threatening to make a mockery of her years of military training. She turned around and nodded at him. "Break up. Cover the complex. Look everywhere."
Dawn. Swiftmont 13, 1015.
Silas Denasa, an Elf from the local army was called in to aid in the investigation.
Several people were standing in her quarters now. One of the soldiers who had been on patrol duty last night. Tallus. Alana. The Elf. He was tall and slender and sniffing around the bedclothes and the room, occasionally muttering magic words or sprinkling dust. The soldier was hopping from one foot to another looking very red. Her pacing brought her nose to nose with him. Anger, panic, fear, shame... all these emotions and more were raging inside her. She always hated it before, how distraught parents could get when their children were in trouble as they would invariably hinder the operation instead of staying calm so that the danger could be eliminated smoothly and efficiently. It was highly unprofessional of her to spit out the words she did.
"Everything quiet, you said. Nothing unusual to report..."
"I'm sorry Commander. I had no idea..."
He was starting to tremble when Tallus and Alana stepped between them. His hand was on her shoulder rather sternly. Of course she out ranked him but at that moment his was the more commanding voice.
"It's okay soldier. You weren't to know." He nodded to Lieutenant Cray and she ushered him out of the room. Claudette turned her glare on Tallus instead.
He took his hand away from her and folded his arms. "If I may make a suggestion. Commander. Don't go doing things you'll regret later. We'll find him. He probably just wandered off. Trying to prove to you he's a soldier."
She shook her head. "It's not like 'im. 'e never disobeys me. 'is sword is still 'ere and if 'e did just 'wander off' then 'e will most likely get 'imself killed!"
"Now Claudette. He's a ten year old boy." He smiled at her not unkindly. "Sooner or later he was going to disobey your orders."
"But 'e knows it is dangerous to be out alone!"
"Like I said. He is a ten year old boy. And nothing will be served if you descend into panic now, Commander."
He was right. But that was completely irrelevant. "Great. You tell me ten year old boys are disobedient and reckless and then you say not to panic?! Merde!"
The Elf stood up and cleared his throat. "Actually panic may well be the appropriate course of action. If my suspicions are correct there may be nothing else you can do."
Claudette turned around to him. Fire in her eyes, ice in her voice. "And what, exactly, are your suspicions?"
"The spell will take a moment to verify this but I strongly suspect that it was a dragon that took your son."
There was a gasp. It came from Tallus. Claudette was numb. She wanted to scream. Instead, a voice that was hers yet seemed very distant from her, took over.
"You are sure he was taken?"
"The boy did not set foot on this floor in the last twelve hours. Unless he can fly, there is no other conclusion to take but that he was lifted."
"And who has set foot 'ere?"
"You have, Commander. And something else. There is a feel of dragon to it. Beyond that I can tell you no more."
The army commander nodded, taking it all in. "I see. Can you find out where it took him too? Can you track it?"
"I do not know. But you have my word, Commander, that I will do my utmost to find out. My associates and I will commence the tracking spell immediately."
"Thank you Silas. And please..."
He nodded to her. "We will work it as fast as we can." He left her and Tallus standing alone in the room.
Tallus took a step closer to her and held out his arms to offer her a shoulder... it was so inviting. But she couldn't. If she did she might never get back from it. Michel. What the hell was she going to tell him? No. She had to keep her thoughts straight. Had to work this like he was just another civilian and not her only son. Who was probably scared and wondering why she wasn't helping him... she shook her head.
"No. I'm alright. But thank you." She turned on her heels and walked out before she could change her mind.
5 hours, Daytime. Swiftmont 13, 1015.
Silas Denasa presented his findings to the investigation board which included members of the Elfen army. The subject was kidnapped by a dragon, possibly masking his presence by some form of magic. Tracking spells indicate that dragon and boy have gone north towards the 'Dark Mountains'. Full report of meeting to be submitted post haste.
Silas stood before the assembled officers from both the Human and Elfen armies. None of them were saying a word. No one could believe what they had just heard. It didn't make the slightest bit of sense. Why would a dragon go to the trouble of sneaking into the barracks to kidnap a small boy? When one of the Human officers asked him he had pointed out that the ways of dragons were oft considered unusual. Dark clouds had gathered in Commander d'Avignon's eyes then. Everyone could see how much she was holding back, the strain it was taking, and that it was getting closer and closer to breaking.
The Elfen army commander nodded to him. "Thank you Denasa." He then looked toward McDougall and Claudette. "Commander d'Avignon. Have you at any point ever had any dealings with any dragons that they may wish to harm you or your son?"
She frowned. "None whatsoever. The only times I came close to working with them was well within the terms of ze treaty. And nothing that would cause... zis."
"And your husband?"
McDougall cleared his throat. "None of my commanders have ever been put into that position. The only dragons this army works with is those from the Nation. And they would not do anything counter to the treaty for fear of repercussions from the Dragonlord. Also I would appreciate you not questioning my officers like they are on trial here."
The Elf bowed his head once. "My apologies. I meant no offence by my attempts to assist you in getting to the bottom of this. Forgive me."
"Of course, Commander." McDougall turned to Claudette. "However we cannot rule out the possibility that this dragon is not working alone. The only child of two military commanders in a time like this is, as you know, a fine target for blackmail or ransom. You have received no communications?"
"General, if I had you would be ze first to know."
"As I thought. Alright." He looked around. "If Mister Denasa does not object, I would like to send some of my people with him in pursuit of the dragon."
The Elfen commander and Silas both nodded as one.
"I'll be ready within an hour, Sir."
"Then so will my people."
The meeting was over. Everyone filed out of the briefing room but McDougall and Claudette. Once they were gone, and before she had a chance to say anything he said, "I'm ordering you to stay here, Commander."
"With all due respect General..."
"With all due respect Commander, you are too personally involved. I will not allow you to jeopardise the mission."
"Sir!..."
"Commander, the life of your child is at stake. Would you have me take a chance with his life that you can keep yourself in check? You know that his best chance for survival is if the retrieval operation is headed by a clear thinking, non involved commander."
"Who are you going to send? I'm the best officer you have. I'm the best for ze job."
"Indeed. And if it were anyone else's son there would be no question. However it isn't. The Elves will command the mission." She looked about to raise another objection so he kept on talking. "I would suggest you allow one of their wizards to send you to Denagoth."
She immediately shook her head. "No. The situation is fragile enough there. Commander Talmont needs his wits about 'im. The retrieval operation will be successful. There is no need to worry 'im for the duration when it could tip ze balance of the war."
"As you wish Commander. But remember what I said. You are under a direct order not to leave the barracks until the retrieval team return. Is that understood, soldier?"
"Yes Sir."
He nodded. "We'll get to the bottom of this."
Eachainn McDougall came to the end of the report. Or at least the end of what was written in the disappearance report. He knew it continued. He turned it over and looked at the first page of the main report in the folder. It started with the first black mark on an exemplary record.
7 hours, Daytime. Swiftmont 13, 1015.
Commander Claudette d'Avignon Talmont disobeyed a direct order under the objections of her second in command Deputy Commander Tallus Gari.
Tallus came into Claudette's quarters to find her packing a small backpack with the food she had taken from the mess hall. No one else thought anything of her wishing to eat alone today, but Tallus knew better. She was wearing civilian clothing. Tallus hadn't even been sure she owned any.
"Claudette? What are you doing?"
She swung around and raised a finger to her lips. "Quiet! Close ze door."
He did as she asked and sat on the bed. "I would hope you're not about to do something stupid."
"I'm going after my son."
"Commander, are you not under a direct order to stay put?"
"Yes I am." She continued to pack.
"It looks to me like you plan to disobey it."
She stopped and looked at him with an impatient look. "I've been in zis army for most of my life. Sooner or later I was going to have to disobey an order."
"Like joining the Shadow Guild?"
"It only counts if you're caught."
"Commander... this is not a good idea."
"So noted. Anything else, Commander?"
"Claudette, please reconsider. What can you possibly do up there that the retrieval team cannot?"
She sat down them. "Tallus, 'e's my son. I cannot sit 'ere doing nothing. I did not train all my life as a soldier so that ze one time my family is depending on me I can sit in ze barracks while some other less experienced men who don't know my boy at all can try find 'im."
He sighed. "You're going to do this whatever I say, aren't you?"
"Why do you ask when you know ze answer?"
"Alright." He nodded. "Then I'm coming with you. I'll be ready in just a minute..."
She was gripping his arm and pulling him around so she could look in his eyes. "Tallus no. I won't let you. I'm facing court martial for this. I won't drag you down with me."
He smiled. "You're going to have to do better than that, Claudette."
"Well 'ow about this. As my deputy commander you are expected to hold camp while I am away. Should zis be an elaborate plan to draw me away before an attack then you need to be here to protect ze camp."
"Sounds like a good reason for you to stay too."
She shook her head with some exasperation and picked up her bag. "I have to go."
He stood between her and door. "This is a mistake. This is incredibly tactically unwise - if anyone else did this you would have them up on charges of insubordination and looking for a dishonourable discharge. You're leaving the camp when you know there is a possibility of attack - despite orders from your commanding officer, and your presence is far more likely to hinder the mission."
"I won't be joining ze mission. The Elf that was going to send me to Denagoth, he's sending me to the mountains instead. He doesn't know this yet but 'e will."
"I don't want to let you leave this room."
"Commander, you have no choice. As your commanding officer..."
"Don't go pulling rank now, Claudette."
"As your commanding officer I would 'ave to say you are doing ze right thing. However, as Jean-Phillipe's mother I am telling you to get out of my way. Now."
He saw the determination in her eyes. Short of tackling her to the ground he wasn't going to be able to stop her. Even then. He could raise the alarm and have McDougall stop her... he stepped aside.
"Thank you Tallus."
"Just find him."
7 hours, Daytime. Swiftmont 13, 1015.
Commander d'Avignon coerced the Elfen wizard Dargon Hemiwater to teleport her into the mountains.
Claudette pushed open the door into the wizard's chambers and pulled herself up a chair. She smiled at him. Dargon was suddenly very nervous.
"Bonjour. My commander suggested you might send me to Denagoth."
"Well certainly, I can..."
"I do not wish to go to Denagoth." She pulled out a map of the mountain range and pointed to a likely location in the valley. "I want to go here. Can you do it?"
"I can do it, yes, but I will have to ask my commander..."
She shook her head and held up her hand. "Non non non. Tell him afterwards. You may tell 'im I came in here so crazy and waving my sword about zat you were afraid for your life. You knew you should ask his permission first but I left you no room for zat. If you did not send me where I wanted to go then I would most likely have killed you. What is a wizard to do? You did what you had to." She smiled again.
He looked from her to the sword by her side. She didn't look like the sort of woman that would... he looked in her eyes. "Sure. Fine. Whatever you want."
"Merci."
9 hours, Daytime. Swiftmont 13, 1015.
Commander d'Avignon was found to be missing by General Eachainn McDougall. A second search party was despatched.
McDougall opened her door when there was no answer to his knocks. Her uniform was folded neatly on her bed. Her rank insignia was present but her sword was missing. He knew what that meant. He left the room and closed the door without so much as saying a word. He walked the few steps to the door to Tallus' room, knocked twice and went in.
"Deputy Commander Gari. Where is your Commander?"
"Is she not in her room? Sir."
"I will ask you again. Where is Commander d'Avignon?"
Tallus relented. It was obvious he knew and there was no point in trying to hide it. She had her head start. Anyway he was starting to worry that maybe he should have tried to floor her...
"He's her son. She was going crazy doing nothing. She doesn't even know where she's going, she'll get lost, realise her mistake, and come back."
"I see. And where is she going? How is she getting there?"
"She's jumping ahead of the tracker to the mountains. 'Following her instincts'. She said something about getting an Elf to teleport her."
"There will be a disciplinary hearing as soon as I return. As a deputy commander you are responsible for your commander. Should they appear to make an incongruent decision it is your place to not only question it, but prevent it by any means necessary. You should hope she does not get herself killed."
McDougall left the room as calmly as he had entered it.
Claudette blocked her face against the oncoming snow. She pushed through it as if it wasn't there. At least that's what she was doing in her mind. In reality it was coming head on and doing a far better job of slowing her down than she was willing to let on. She had been walking for a couple of hours now along the valley checking any caves she found as she went. Still nothing. She stopped where she was a moment to drink out of her bottle. She looked around her. The mountains loomed back down. There was a lot of ground to cover but she wasn't going to let that dishearten her. Jean-Phillipe needed her and she was going to go to him whatever it took. No army in the world could stop her, not even her own. Well, she thought, so there is something more important than the army afterall. Her thoughts went unbidden to Denagoth where Michel was fighting completely oblivious to the trouble their son was in. Their little boy who looked so much like his father except for her blue eyes. She was enjoying watching him grow up and that wasn't going to stop now. Not if she could help it. And really, what was the point of being one of the two best commanders in the greatest army in the world if she couldn't protect her own child? She put the water bottle back in her backpack and kept walking.
It was some time later when she saw the smoke. Her impulse was to run but her training said to take it slow and appraise the situation. She edged closer. It was coming from a cave. The entrance was small. Certainly not large enough to fit a dragon. Not in dragon form anyway. She approached cautiously.
The first thing to hit her was the smell. Old meat, burning wood, burning flesh... there was a whimpering coming from inside. She abandoned all her training as a soldier in favour of getting to her son as fast as possible. She ran.
It was much bigger inside, almost as if the entire mountain had been hollowed out. She looked up but couldn't see where it stopped for the dark that crept over the flames of the tiny fire. The cavern was huge. A wide passageway led further into the mountain. Behind the fire was what looked like a small alcove and that was where the whimpering was coming from.
"Jean-Phillipe? Is that you?"
The whimpering stopped to be replaced with a gasp. "Maman? Maman!!"
He was trying to stand but something was keeping him down... she ran to him and past the fire paying it no heed.
"Jean-Phillipe! Oh my love, mon bebe, are you alright?" She pulled him into her arms. There was some resistance where his foot was caught by a chain. He howled in pain.
"My arm! Maman..."
Tears were running down his face. She looked down at the cause of it. His small little arm was burnt. Right through his nightclothes. That was the flesh she had smelt.
"He burnt it! He said you sent him but you didn't, did you? And I was crying... I tried not to, Maman... but he stuck it in ze fire!"
"My baby. It's alright, I'm going to get you out of here. You're going to be alright..."
"Maman..."
"Alright Jean. I'm here now. We're going 'ome..."
He was shaking uncontrollably. She wanted to hug him again but that would only hurt him more so instead she concentrated on the chain. She drew her sword...
"He says he's going to stop them. The people following us. What's he going to do, Maman?"
Claudette got a tingling sensation up her back. Be it her finally tuned military instincts or the more basic maternal ones, she knew before she heard his voice that they weren't alone.
"They're dead. Imagine the audacity! Trying to track me as if I would not know. As if I do not know my mountains. But you. How did you get here?"
Claudette turned around and stood in front of her son, gripping her sword. The man was still dressed in his army uniform. That made her feel sick. "Turn around. And walk out of 'ere. Otherwise I will kill you."
He scratched his head as if not understanding a word of what she said. "You're already dead, Elf."
"I'm no Elf."
He rolled his eyes. "Human then. It doesn't matter. Both as inconsequential as the other."
"Believing zat is the last mistake you're going to make."
She sized him up while they talked. If she rushed him now there was a good chance she could reach him and cleave off his head before he had a chance to change. It was a very simple plan. More merciful than he deserved for daring to harm her... she bit down on her tongue. She had to stay calm. She just needed to keep him distracted long enough to launch her attack....
Jean-Phillipe had scampered as far into the wall behind him as he could. She could hear him sniffling. The 'man' wrinkled his nose.
"I hate the smell of crying children." He looked around Claudette at him. "Will I have to teach you that lesson again, child?"
To hell with calm. Claudette ran at him, sword raised high and screaming. She was dimly aware of laughter before she went smacking into the creature... except it wasn't. It was a barrier of some sort. And on the other side of it the man was growing...
Jean-Phillipe screamed when he saw what was happening. Right before his eyes the black man who had lied to him, taken him from his bed, away from his mother, hurt him, chained him... he was growing into something big and horrible. Bits of uniform floated off him looking like little flecks of peeling paint as he grew larger, and larger, and larger. And scales. A long long tail. Big black wings. Everything black. Except his orange eyes and white gleaming teeth. He must have been a thousand times bigger than his father and he was the biggest person he knew. Then there was the roar. Everything was shaking and bits of stones fell from the walls making him yelp. The fire went out just like that and things were even darker.
The black dragon bent his head towards the little soldier that thought she could possibly hurt him with the twig in her hand.
"Give it your best shot."
Not one who needed to be told twice, Claudette stuck her sword, hilt and all, right into one of those orange eyes.
The dragon screamed in pain and the mountain shook violently. The smile that Michel had learnt to fear most was only just creeping across her face when ten tonnes of tail hit her full force throwing her clear across the expansive cavern and smashing into the wall. He wheeled around to look at her and Jean-Phillipe had to duck to the ground to avoid the same tail that had smashed most of the bones in his mother's body.
It was a miracle she was still alive, never mind conscious. Every breath stabbed her and red patches were growing on her clothes at an alarming rate. She only had to look at her legs and the angles they were at to see one of them was not going to be of use to her ever again. The other one hurt like hell so could probably be repaired... but right now it was out of the game. That was going to make getting Jean-Phillipe home a little more difficult. Once she got rid of the dragon.
Being overmatched wasn't something that normally phased Claudette. She fought at the Scotch Breech afterall. They won a war against the Alphatians. So perhaps it would have been more difficult had their continent not sunk but the war ended with Glantri as the victors and that was all that counted. She looked up at the dragon. And up. And up. And up. Part of being a good commander was knowing when the odds had gone from overmatched to insurmountable. The correct military action now was to retreat and fight another day. Only one arm obeyed her command to move. The big head came down to her again. This time it kept a little more distance. She was damn well going to take some pleasure out of that. That and the deflated eyeball still oozing a clear viscous liquid.
"That. Was not. Nice."
"That. Was for. My son."
If it hurt to breathe it hurt ten times as much to talk. But she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of showing it. In the distance she could hear her boy screaming for her.
"You're going to die right here. Alone. I could leave you now and you would be dead within the hour." It could have been a grin. Who knew with dragons? "But I'm not so stupid. You might have a magical object that would bring you home. And as unlikely as it is, perhaps someone would put you back together and I would have to deal with you again."
Her grin was unmistakable. "You're afraid of me coming back for you."
He roared. She guessed it was supposed to be a laugh. "Afraid? No! It is simply a matter of pride. I hate to leave loose ends. And one does not allow a... fly, I believe you call them?, to live when one has the chance to swat it. That's all you are. Human."
"My name... is Claudette... d'Avignon... Talmont. Don't ever forget it."
"I know who you were. Now you're dead."
This wasn't looking good. This really wasn't looking good. She tried to think for a moment what Michel would do... then cursed. Merde! If only she had Jaggar's zapper in her pocket. She felt around with her one working hand and found what she did have. Her dagger. Not just any old dagger, not standard military issue. This one was special. Michel had it made for her. A gift for their second wedding. She had never used it, not wanting to stain it with the horrors of battle, but she wore it all the time to remind herself never to make such a foolish mistake again. She had other daggers but none of them could be reached. It was starting to look like coming out here alone had been a terminally foolish mistake.
"This is your last chance. Leave my son alone."
"He's not yours anymore." The dragon pulled his head back up. The voice grew smaller and tinnier as he did. "I'm bored and I have a package to deliver."
She filled her lungs, using the pain now to keep her conscious and urge her on. "This isn't over!"
From on high there was a voice. "You are." It was followed by a thick plume of dark purple smoke descending rapidly towards her. She had just run out of time.
"Not... yet." Using everything she had, using the blinding pain that was wracking every inch of her, trying not to see the pool of blood she was throwing herself from, she pushed herself forward, dagger in her one working hand. She hit against the dragon's leg and plunged in the dagger between the scales as far as she could. It disappeared inside the beast. There was a surprised yelp and she was kicked back to the wall and into the cloud. It stung her nostrils, singed her hair, burned her skin, melted her nails and clothes, but she didn't feel any of it. She had failed. Failed Jean-Phillipe, failed Michel... she couldn't die like this! Could she?
The dragon used just one claw to snap the tiny metal chain and picked up the hysterical child that had just watched his mother reduced to a charred pile of broken bones. He growled at the itch in his foot. That could be annoying when he polymorphed. Much worse was the loss of his eye. Damn Humans. He looked at the boy curiously. He was going a most interesting shade of blue and punching furiously at his captor. The punches got lighter the bluer he got until finally he stopped. Just like that as if falling into a deep sleep. The dragon checked just to make sure he was still breathing. There'd be trouble if the kid died too... but everything was just fine. He went back through the passageway and took to flight up and out the top of the mountain.
12 hours, Daytime. Swiftmont 13, 1015.
The first party were discovered by the second party led by General McDougall. All were killed by a massive rockslide. Rescue unit despatched to recover the bodies. A black dragon was sighted flying from a distant mountain. General McDougall's team proceeded to investigate.
3 hours, Nighttime. Swiftmont 13, 1015.
The body of Commander d'Avignon was discovered by the investigation party with severe acid burns, excessive blood loss, and multiple fractures.
McDougall was the first one to enter the cave. He walked straight to her body.
"Damn."
Alana was next. What she saw made her run back outside and dump the contents of her stomach out amongst the rocks. One of the other soldiers came over to her.
"Are you alright? What's in there?"
Her face was deathly pale. "The Commander. She's... she's dead."
Seconds later another soldier came running out with a similar purpose in mind.
Alana knew she needed to pull herself together. At least now there was nothing else to throw up. She wouldn't have to fight that battle as she gulped and walked back inside.
McDougall was there standing over the body. He turned when he heard them come back and pointed to the ashes of the fire. "Start there. I want every part of this cave searched. No stone unturned. Am I clear?"
There were the usual nods of "Yes Sir". He turned back to Claudette, then shaking his head bent down on one knee to take a closer look. Her face was scorched in what he knew was a breath weapon attack. He could smell it as it continued to burn into her. In a few more hours she would no longer be recognisable as one of the finest commanders he had ever had the good fortune to serve with. By the end of the night there would be nothing left but blood and dust. That he wouldn't allow. He called over one of his men.
"Yes Sir."
"Do you have a preservation scroll with you."
"I do, General, but..."
"Then use it."
"Sir?"
McDougall glanced at him. "I am aware it will not restore her. However she deserves a proper funeral and for that we need a body. Commander Talmont will also wish to see her. Now. Are there any other orders you would like to question?" His look was dangerous. The soldier shook his head rapidly and pulled out a scroll.
"No Sir. Of course not Sir." He quickly started to cast the spell.
It was over an hour before Alana dared approach McDougall and the body again. She had since been moved so that she was lying out flat and wasn't so impossibly twisted. But the smell of the burning... and the thick pool of blood that looked black in the shadows cast from their torches. She could only imagine what had gone on in here. Claudette found her son in the clutches of the dragon and, despite the impossible odds, had taken him on. And lost. Claudette lost. How could this happen? How could she ever possibly lose anything after all she'd been through, the bright future Alana knew was ahead of her... Was ahead of her. Not anymore. It turned out that her commander, mentor, and friend was just a person afterall. Just another person that could die on her. Then she mentally kicked herself. How selfish was that, thinking that way about Claudette who had given up her life in an attempt to save her son. Who was still missing. Poor Michael...
"Do you have a report for me Lieutenant?"
She snapped back to attention and took her gaze from Claudette. "Yes Sir. Jean-Phillipe was being held here. There's a broken chain over the other side. Some blood, but not a lot. He is probably still alive. There's dragon blood too and something else Derwin thinks came from the dragon. It looks like she put up a good fight, Sir."
"Of course she did Lieutenant. She is a Commander of the Glantrian army." There was a flicker of something across his face. He bowed it back down. "Was a Commander." He then leaned down again and picked up her hand. It looked to be little more than burnt flesh clinging to bone. He slid her wedding ring off her finger and put it into his pocket before calling his men to him.
"There's nothing more we can do here. Fix her to my horse. We're getting out of here."
Eachainn stood up and walked to the window of his office. Outside it looked like nothing had happened. That was the way he wanted it. The soldiers were going about their normal business. But it was there nonetheless. The cloud of losing their Commander in such a senseless wasteful way. And still with no reasonable explanation. Tallus had resigned that morning and he feared the army's losses were not over yet. The preparations were made for the funeral that night. The Princes who were with them in Wendar had all agreed to show. Commander Talmont was expected into camp with Lieutenant Cray within the hour. There was nothing more to do. He sat back down and continued reading.
7 hours, Nighttime. Swiftmont 13, 1015.
Lieutenant Alana Cray was despatched to Denagoth to inform Commander Michael Talmont of the preceding events.
They were coming down out of the mountain pass when McDougall called a halt. He rode over to Lieutenant Cray. One look at the others and they all proceeded ahead at a slow pace.
"Lieutenant. I am aware that Commander d'Avignon was taking an active interest in your career as an officer. She was pleased with your progress."
"Thank you Sir."
"Do not thank me yet. I have an assignment for you." He took out the wedding ring. Alana knew what he was about to ask and started to shake her head.
"Oh no. Please don't ask me to do that. I can't..."
"Death is all too common a part of military life Lieutenant. One you must learn to handle. It is a lesson you learn by confronting it. Now Commander Talmont needs to be informed of his wife's demise and his son's current status of missing. He should hear it from someone that was her friend. And I fear Commander Gari is going to be otherwise detained." He handed her the ring.
Before she knew what she was doing she had taken it. "Yes Sir. Right away Sir." She kicked her horse and started on the road to Denagoth.
Claudette looked down at her dress uniform. It was spotless as always. She flexed her arm muscles. No problem. Her legs. Everything in working order. She looked at her hands and the flawless white skin and realised. "Merde. Je suis mort."
When she looked around her there wasn't much to see. Precisely nothing in fact. Not having any of that, she started walking. She had an idea.
Something tried to force her back but the more she thought about it, the more angry she was. She thought about Jean-Phillipe still out there and screaming hysterically for her. She thought about the dragon that had him and all the things she wanted done to him. She thought about Michel and how devastated he was going to be. She pushed through whatever was stopping her and found herself in the middle of a wide open field.
It was quiet. Nothing but hills and green grass... and thunder. She looked up at the clear sky. There was dust rising from beyond the hills on both sides of her. Her eyes opened wide. "Oh Merde!" From both sides came line after line of soldiers on horses charging for one another and she was right in the middle. She flung her arms over her head as they got closer... the ground was shaking under the hooves... she could hear horns and battle cries... smell the sweat of the horses as they charged right through her! Suddenly there was fighting all around, every way she looked. She dodged in between trying to find him. Occasionally an arrow or soldier would go right though her but there was something just too unnatural about not trying to dodge them. Finally she saw him. Tackling five of the enemy at once and not even breaking a sweat. She had to smile. Then she called to him.
"Michel!"
He looked surprised to see her there but took it in stride, barely missing a beat as he eliminated two of them.
"Not now, Claudette. I'm busy."
"Yes now! I don't know 'ow much time I have!"
"Oh alright then." He despatched with those fighting him, rode over to her and held out his hand to pull her onto his horse. She took it and...
They were sitting beside the canal back in Glantri city. It was a place they went to often when they wanted to be alone. The place where she got the first inklings of the grave error they had made.
"You're all dressed up, Claude. What's going on?"
"I'm sorry Michel. I've let you down."
"Nonsense. How could you?"
"I tried. You 'ave to know zat. I did everything I could even when I knew it wasn't going to be good enough... I lost my dagger."
He was starting to look worried. "I'll get you a new one. What are you talking about?"
Her body was aching. She grabbed both his hands. "Listen to me! You have to find 'im! You've got to get our son back!"
"You're scaring me Claude. Where's Jean-Phillipe?"
Her face felt hot now and her hands were darkening. "It was a dragon. A black dragon. I blinded 'im in one eye. And I might 'ave 'urt his foot. I don't know why it took him... something about delivering a package... but you have to get 'im back! Get the Dragonlord. Find out..."
"What are you talking about, you're not making sense... Claudette please..."
She looked down at her uniform again. The blood was starting. He saw it too.
"You're hurt, let me help you..."
"No. Michel it's too late." She shook her head. "I'm already..." There were tears in her eyes. "I'm dead, Michel. How did zis happen?"
He was shaking his head furiously. He tried to hold her but his arms went right through her.
"It's not too late, it can't be.. I never even..."
"Goodbye Michel. Je t'aime."
She disappeared and Michael woke with a start.
Eachainn scribbled his signature across the bottom with the army seal, closed the folder and pushed it to the side as if it had offended him. He shouted for his corporal who scurried in only seconds later.
"Yes Sir?"
"I want a message sent to the city."
"To Glantri, Sir?"
"Yes, Corporal. To Glantri. Address it to Caliban Montaya of Koranov Investigations. Tell him to get his Dragonlord butt up here now."
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