Dragon Rider (DragonMage Saga) (35 page)

The battle raged for the morning
and finely they were moping up the last few creatures that tried to get away.
They were unable to get away with this attack happening at this time. They
would be missed if they went in search of the Renegade.

They were finely able to finish
with the lances as there were only a few left and Gavrie had come over and told
them it would do and to go get a meal and some rest.

They all decide to go to their
common room and do some reading; with Angel's mother and brothers still here
they would be missed if she wanted to see him. Angel’s not too hopeful for the
other book did not say a lot on the Crystal Chamber so he was not keeping his
hopes up.

The books probably not going to
help a lot so I think we are going to have to go back to the library and have
another look in the top shelves. We just have to keep looking till we find
something that will help us. I need to see Aura again and work more with our
magic we all do.

They all go to the windows, this
being their favourite place to sit. They find it easier to think there and talk
their problems over. They have the large window area covered in cushions. The
window is one that protrudes out and has a very large sill where they have made
their very special place to sit and think.

Shylyn was about to go and get
the book on Legends when there was a knock on the door. Maive went over to see
who was there as she was the closest. When she had opened it she found Rho and
Etha standing there. ‘Come in we were not expecting you to come and see us
here.’

They went over to Angel and the
rest by the window, surprise on their faces. Rho looked really impressed with
their little area. ‘Really nice place you have made for yourselves here. It’s a
lot better than what we have back at the men’s hall for Dragon Riders.’

‘Come on sit with us there’s
plenty of room and we can talk, I’m sure you have a lot to talk about.’ Medwin
moved around a bit so that they could sit down.

‘When do you have to go?’ Angel
knowing they would not be here very much longer.

‘Well mum is talking with Gavrie about
the lances, for we used a lot today and so they need charging. Mum wants to
stay the night, but is not sure how the dragons will like it staying close to
all the wizards. She is going to ask Gavrie if the dragons can go into the next
Dragon Cave on the next deck.’ Now these decks were out of bounds to all
wizards, as they say they are dangerous. ‘She knows they are dangerous, but
feels that if the dragons use the cave and don’t land to heavy on the deck,
they should be ok.’

‘If you do stay would you like to
stay with us here in our rooms as we have plenty of beds? See if mum will stay
as well, then you can all get to know my friends. It would be good to have you
all here as I miss you.’ Angel tried not to show his eyes as they were a bit
watery as he asked.

‘Good idea that’s why mum sent us
up here to see if you would mind. I think I will go and tell her its fine. I
would like to get to know your friends better so I won’t be long.’ Rho headed
off out the door, leaving Etha to talk with them.

‘It’s going to be good having
Dragon Riders to talk to and tell us what it’s like to ride one. We love
dragons but know we will never be able to go near one, so listening to you
telling us stories will be good.’ Maive could not quite restrain her enthusiasm
as she spoke.

It was not long when Rho came
back and went over and sat down with them. ‘Mum will be up soon and Gavrie
might come up later and to join us. She’s going to have meals sent up here so
we can talk and be comfortable while we eat.’

Shylyn moved over to let Rho sit
even though there was plenty of room; she just wanted to make sure he would be
comfortable. ‘Ok now tell us about riding dragons, is it easy or hard and how
do you stay on if the dragons got to turn upside down?’

‘Well now riding a dragon is not
that easy but it’s also not hard, it’s just working out where the best position
is. Then you just fit your saddle and harness so you can be comfortable. Now
staying on when your dragon does a flip is not so hard just so long as you have
not forgotten to fit your harness.’ Rho was really rapped that someone was
asking him questions, for not many do.

‘What’s a harness?’ Maive asked.

Etha decided he would answer this
one. As Etha stood up and lifted his shirt he spoke. ‘This is a harness.’
Pointing to the leather straps, that went over his shoulders and down his back
and at the bottoms where two rings. ‘Now the rings at the bottom are clipped to
the saddle harness on the dragon, and that’s how we stay on.

Maive looked fascinated with what
Etha told them, but she knew she stayed on by using magic. She was still very
interested as she and Shylyn and Medwin wanted to know all they could. They
still felt they had a lot to learn and the best way was to ask Angels brothers.

Angel knew a lot of this but
still he loved hearing it all again, also knew his friends needed to know more
and realized he had not told them a lot. This made him feel bad as they were
his friends and he had not told them much at all. I’ll have to tell them all I
know; as soon as mum and the brothers go.

Just then there was a knock at
the door and in walked Tish and behind her came some kitchen helpers with
trolleys of food. ‘Well what have you all been talking about?’

‘Hi mum, what do you think?’
Angel spoke with a big smile across his face.

‘Dragons of coarse I see your
friends love dragons as well if that’s all you’re talking about.’ She walked
over to their little area and looked.

‘Come mum sit with us, there’s
plenty of room for you as well.’ Angel was very pleased his mother was going to
stay the night.

‘I will but first come have a
meal and we can eat as we talk. I really like what you’ve done to your common
room. It’s really great. Now come on eat.’ She grabbed a plate and was helping
herself to the food.

Next minute they were all rushing
to get up and get a plate of food. There was a bit of fun jostling with Angel
and his brothers as they filled their plates. Angels brothers, even if they
were only half brothers loved him very much. It hurt them a lot when they found
out he could never be around or ever ride a dragon.

They were very protective off
Angel, for they had known their father, but Angel never did. The main reason
was Tish had never told anybody who his father was, but Angel had worked out
who he thought was his father but never told anybody.

He at times found himself wanting
to know more of his father but there was no one he could ask. So lived with it
each day and since his magic came on his idea of who his father was is now very
strong. With his brothers they had a good many years to know their father
before he died fighting Renegades. That’s one reason they care very much for
him, for they know what he’s missing.

Once they all had their food they
sat and started to eat as the talking began. Angel sat there and listened as
Tish, Rho and Etha told his friends, he knew but still it set his heart
pounding at what they have done. If they knew what he and his friends are doing
now, they would be the ones sitting with their ears wide open listening.

Next minute Angel was back from
his thinking with his brother Rho giving him a nudge. ‘What?’ the look of
surprise and then a smile.

‘Come on pay attention and
listen, I was telling them about you and your old friends going in and trying
to beat the young dragons but they always had it on you three. I hope you don’t
mind me telling them?’ Rho a worried look on his face.

‘No they were good times but I’m
here now and with knew friends doing knew things that I would never have
thought I would ever do.’ A big smile on his face as his look swept over Rho
and went to his friends.

Etha looked at Angel and seen the
look he gave his friends, a funny feeling there was something between the four
they were not telling anybody. ‘What have you lot been up to, I hope there is
no mischief going on with that smile you just gave your friends?’

Angels face dropped and looked at
Etha before going to his mother. ‘We have been good apart from the time I got
carried away with a spell and fainted or when we had not got enough sleep. That
was the smile we didn’t think you had heard what had happened.’ Just as he
finished Aura popped into his mind and judging by the look on the others faces,
their dragons had done the same thing.

‘Angel you are enjoying this time
with your mother and brothers by the way your mind is saying how happy you
are?’ Aura was pleased for Angel and he could tell by her voice.

‘I am very happy and Medwin,
Maive and Shylyn are very happy as well. I have not sat around with my family
for a long time. After they found out I have magic and could not be around
dragons any more they stopped doing this for fear it would upset me. But
tonight with my friends here it’s good for me and for my family. They needed
this just as much as we do. I would like one day to meet Medwin’s’, Maive’s’
and Shylyns’ family.’ Angel was trying to be aware of what was going on with
talking around the group.

‘We’ll listen in the back ground
so as not to distract you and your friends for being with you while you get
enjoyment is very good for us, as we miss our Grandfather. We have not been to
visit him for a long time.’ Auras voice sounded sad as she explained.

‘You must visit him and soon for
he might start to worry about you and you will worry about him. When my family goes
we will come and talk to you and try to find the best time for you to do this.’
Angel was now worried for their dragons with them not seeing their Grandfather
for so long.

Angel got back to the talk that
was going around the group when Angel decided to ask a question that will be
hard on his mother but he would like to know what happens. He was about to ask
when he thought it better coming from one of the others so he asked Aura to get
one of the other dragons to ask.

Angel was waiting to see who was
going to ask, he did not have to wait long as it was Shylyn who was chosen.
‘Tish I hope you don’t mind but will you tell us about the wizard you use to
carry when it was necessary. We know he never came back and that is all we
know. We know at times only the strongest Dragon Riders can carry a wizard.’

Tish never even blinked when she
was asked and looked at them not looking at Angel and that was the only
giveaway. She looked normal as if it was no big deal but Angel could sense
there was something there underneath. She was about to talk when there was a
knock on the door and that gave her an out.

Angel got up and went over to the
door and opened it, there to find Gavrie. ‘Come in Headmaster we were just
talking, will you join us?’

‘I would like that for it is a
long time since I sat with a group and just talked; with your mother and
brothers here it will be good.’ Walking over he sat down on the cushions next
to Tish.

Tish took the break and changed
the subject by asking how things were. ‘Are you copping with the creature
attacks, we know there are wizards off world at the moment. Will you be
bringing them back to help?’

‘No they must stay were they are
and keep our interests safe. So for now we will have to do.’ He looked at the
kids and could see a look of annoyance on their faces and wandered what that
was all about.

‘We will stop bringing our Riders
home and will settle for what we have here now. These attacks are going to get
stronger and faster. They started with just the odd attack over the years till
just lately when they have been increasing in number.’ She didn’t look at the
kids as she talked.

Angel looked at his friends and
gave a grimace and showed his annoyance. Gavrie had caught the look and
wandered what was going on. Looking back at Tish he carried on. ‘We know by the
times we have opened portals into the Dark Realms the creatures can sense them
being opened and will converge on them. If the Renegades can keep them open
long enough they will have a great many creatures coming through. Judging by
the amount of creatures now coming with each attack, they are managing to open
the portal longer each time.’

‘We need to find where they open
their portals and try and stop them. They must be close for the creatures would
scatter if it was to far away.’ Tish looked a bit worried as she finished
talking.

Angel and the others were
settling down a bit for what they were talking about were things they needed to
know so they just listened. Even Rho and Etha were hearing things they have not
heard before, and they kept quite so they would keep going. Tish was hoping she
could move the conversation away from the subject that hurts her most.

‘That’s probably easy enough with
patrols of Dragon Riders spread out over the sea they should come across the
Renegades as they open the portal. The problem then is they will have about six
Renegade Wizards riding dragons which we don’t do. They force the dragons to
carry them with magic. You can not fight Renegade Wizards for you can’t carry
enough wizards. You don’t have enough Dragon Riders strong enough to carry
wizards.’ He knew she would remember the last wizard she carried for after that
she refused to carry any more.

Tish looked pained but she
quickly pulled herself together. ‘The Dragon Lances should disturb them enough
and with them trying to control their dragons we could get some wizards there
quick enough, and stay out of reach of their magic. But the wizards would have
to be ready at a moments notice so they spend lest amount of time on the
dragons.’

All the others were all ears as
Gavrie and Tish talked about things they would normally not speak of in front
of the kids. Even Gavrie knew they were there but did not worry about it. He
knew it was time everyone knew how the situation was. Letting the kids know was
not a problem with him as he knew they were special and he was going to nurture
that.