Guardian Dragons (13 page)

Breaking for a rest they finally
reached the ornamental bridge where Heimarl sat upon a brightly
painted wooden bench. No water ran under the bridge, instead
thousands of tiny shells twinkled in the sunlight. This was a place
where he could think fondly of all his children. Each of his tender
daughters had personally crafted individual clay ornamental
animals, which had been assembled near to his bridge. They made a
grand display that any father would be proud of. Here he could
sense their company, minus their din, which was inevitable when
they were together.

‘Pappa, whatever happened to the
human girl with the ape people?’

‘There is lengthy gap in the writings as if he did not
visit them again for a while, but he did return and he found
instead a more developed tribe of ape people who called themselves
the abapes. They were, and still are, a gentle race that stands
tall with long shaggy hairy bodies, except for their smooth
hairless gentle apelike faces of dark leathery skin. They’d
developed a new language as
well. Time had passed through many generations since he had
met that little girl. She had lived and grown, loved and bred and
passed on to the Realm of the Dead. Her bloodline now ran deep in
the tribes, leading to the development of a more advanced race.
Saurlton led them to the new ruling Guardian Dragons, for both
these races their numbers had dwindled because of the wars.
Together they became stronger companions and in our time, every
dragon has an abapion carer.

‘I have heard of the dragons but
never of these strange abapions.’ Heather thought she knew all of
the different races.

‘As I said before my daughter, you
still have much to learn.’ Gently he took his daughter’s hand and
placed it between his warm, strong palms. She was comforted with
his protective love. He continued.

‘They care with deep respect and
love for their Masters, the dragons. In return the dragons look
upon the abape as constant companions that they love and need to
protect, long have these two races bonded as carers for each
other.

‘So what happened to
Saurlton?’

‘Well, it was hard to keep track
of him as he could Change to so many forms so no-one ever knew
where he was and no-one ever knew when or even if he had died. To
this moonwake, the end of his tale remains a mystery.’

‘But pappa the Serpent Wars was
over a hundred suncircles ago,’ Heather knew this from her lessons.
‘That war lasted about a hundred suncircles, and he was around
before then. He is probably aged about three or four hundred
suncircles.’

‘No my dear, he is aged thousands
of suncirles, as is the monshaad Emperor of the Darklands. No one
really knows as few written records have been found and deciphered
as of yet. Our historical scholars work hard on this, but these
things take time.’

‘Do you believe he is still alive
pappa?’

‘Yes I do child. This is why you
must know how treasured your magic is. Your bloodline is rare and
you too, could live thousands of suncirles. Well, that is if you
stay around long enough to learn your art correctly,’ Heimarl
cautioned.

‘That would mean there are two
Changelings upon Aarabassa. Can this be?’

‘Your Changing skills are to be
used to protect all innocent creatures of the world my daughter. We
are Guardians of the Innocent, along with the Guardian Dragons. Do
you see how you fit into this world now? I believe that the ancient
mage rests while his Magic Wall protects us, but he lives on while
ever his brother balances the magic of evil. We all grow fat on our
own prosperity. We should never take anything for granted and
should be ready for the powerful Emperor at all times, he is after
all equally as powerful as his brother, Saurlton.’

‘I can do it pappa,’ still Heather
spoke earnestly but with such angelic innocence. ‘It’s simple. I’m
always happy with new situations. I like to think that change will
always bring about good outcomes.’

‘Dare I say it my child,’ her
father rebuked, ‘you have yet to face the evils of this world. Had
you not been born the Changeling then your life would have been as
undemanding as it will be for your sisters. But, for you Heather,
life will not be so. You will have many choices to make and many
battles to fight. Already you think for yourself and I have always
encouraged that in all my daughters. But you must seek to further
your knowledge upon your own skills.’

‘I will always trust you pappa. If
you say this is so then it is. I will work hard and you will be
very proud of your eldest daughter.’

Ah, how could this small creature
face the evils of this world? Heirmarl sought to break the
discussion and allow his daughter to face the realities of the here
and now.

‘Of this I have no doubt. Now
then, your mother will need to know of these plans for your future
education, go seek her out and let us move forward. Go,
go.’

‘Yes pappa, but I still think I
did the right thing by practicing my skills. Life should be lived
on impulse not by silly rules. You must understand the magnificence
of my day.’

Heather rose from the place by her
father’s side. He let go of her hand and smiled fondly at his
daughter as she left as quickly as she had appeared. Deeply he
worried, at the lack of caution to the impetuous rules that she
lived by.

Chapter 19 Courting
Memories

H
is watery blue eyes
passed over the lush green velvet grass and he thought to himself
that it must be almost time for the rains. Perhaps he would take
some time to seed a few herbs and watch them nurture. Or, maybe, he
should just leave that to the Herb Gardeners to do what they do
best and not interfere. What was the point of him forcing the rain
when it was not yet needed? He knew all too well, how to live by
rules. His daughter would need to live by the same set of rules
that all mages follow, those of caution.

He was aware her mother Minnah
would not be pleased at his little talk with his daughter. She knew
her only child was a Changeling but this did not lessen her
protectiveness as a mother. Yet how like Minnah her only daughter
had turned out to be.

Closing his eyes to the bright sun,
he relaxed his muscles, as much as the hard wooden bench would
allow. In his old age, he was fond of his memories. Unlike a
Healing Mage or a Changeling, his life would not be extended.
Slowly he drifted into an old man’s peaceful nap. Reminiscing he
recalled when, as a youngster, how energetic he had been as a young
enthusiastic heir who would succeed his father in the role as Head
Mage. Aahh, blissful days .....

Swallowing a mouthful of light
Madeira wine from a silver goblet, the young handsome man patted a
small spill on his chin. He had spent half the moonwake considering
the hindrance of the insufferable problem he had been presented
with; it was absurd that the Head Mage was expected to be married,
if he was to rule. Being unattached at only nineteen suncircles was
not uncommon yet this situation had become such a setback,
nonetheless, it was necessary for Heimarl to choose an appropriate
wife, and quickly.

Minnah Barronz, who had just passed
her seventeenth suncircle, was his first and only choice for a
bride.

Since catching a glimpse of her,
whilst she was gathering the youngest of students together in the
academy’s central courtyard, he had fallen madly and deeply in love
with this graceful white slender swan that fluttered amongst the
children. She wore silky golden locks plaited down her long arched
back and her lips displayed the sweetest cherry smile.

He had then sought more information
of this delicate maiden, he had learned from the Principle Head of
the academy that her family name was ‘Barronz’. Not many carry this
name and it meant that her lineage was that of the ancient mage
Saurlton Barronz, thus linking strong magic in her bloodline. Her
parents were well respected within their trades, but hardly
royalty, her father Ryan a poet and her mother Nealther a healer.
As a traveling family, her parents had secured her with a good
apprenticeship as nursemaid within the academy. Already he sensed
that she would make a worthy mother to his first child. The worst
aspect the investigation had uncovered was that her mother had
married twice and that her first husband had been a drunkard who
was killed in a bar brawl. As this was before Minnah was born and
this husband had not been her natural father, he determined no
reason why she could not be his first wife. He would report to his
father bearing the good news.

Minnah had been receiving sumptuous
gifts of beautiful wild orchids and sweet scented bouquets of the
spectacular pink blossoms of the Almond tree, on a regular basis.
She was overwhelmed with delight at the thought of a secret
admirer. As a shy gentle character, she did not share her joy with
others, but that did not mean that others had not noticed.
Curiosity surmounted her companions within the shared quarters of
the apprentice maidens. In their eagerness to learn more about her,
they coveted her friendship. Minnah, on her part, patiently endured
their silly chatter, but secretly waited to discover the true fan
of her affections. She had accepted her role in life as nursemaid
within the Scholarship Academy, until recently when she had
experienced strange dreams of pure happiness within her
soul.

Seeking the shade of a large matured palm tree and the
solace of reading a scroll of pretty poetry, Minnah was convinced
that no one could locate her in the third garden of the Academy
College. Turning her head to listen to a chanting canary, she
noticed a handsome young man under the archway, surveying her every
move. This had to be her devotee. A stirring emotion, deep within
her heart, revealed her own passion. Was this the one she had
foreseen in her strange dreams? Gracefully she smiled at the
canary’s
enchanting song and
when her eyes again scanned the archway, he was
gone.

Returning to her studies with a
resigned sigh, she stayed in the gardens. Towards the end of the
moonwake she rolled up the scrolls and tied them with a red silky
ribbon. Just as she was about to leave, a servant approached her as
she stood up from her garden seat. He introduced himself as
belonging to the Head Mage’s household and promptly handed her a
simple white parchment. She unravelled the good quality paper and
read an invitation to attend a late supper, that very moonsleep, at
the Head Mage’s abode. She wondered if this was anything to do with
her anonymous admirer. It certainly could not be the Head Mage, he
was too old to take an interest in an apprentice nursemaid. Who was
this strange character that had sought her attention for so long?
At last, she may resolve the mystery and discover the identity of
this person.

Thanking the finely dressed
servant, she pleasantly accepted the invitation, explaining that
she would attend when she had dressed herself
appropriately.

Once back in her chambers she
searched for her finest silk gown of pale peach with white lacy
sleeves, pulling over her shoulders a pale-rose silky laced poncho.
She sensed that her entire future was hanging on a thin thread of
hope and chance. A vision of the tiny delicate canary bird she had
listened to in the garden came into her mind. Like the fragile
little canary, she felt vulnerable and unprotected, wishing her
parents were close by.

Using the short sea path walk to the mage’s house, Minnah
observed the clear warm blue sea slapping against the cliff rocks,
forming white frothy waves that billowed up trying with all their
might to climb to the top of the cliff face. The residential
quarters for the High Mages were on the outside block of the
academy. Each had fenced gardens but the Head Mage’s had a high
walled garden with a tall black iron gate. Closing the gate behind
her, she noticed a house servant approaching down a long narrow red
stone path, to greet her. He bid her welcome and she followed him
to the row of terraced buildings that formed the outer wing of the
Scholarship Academy. Entering through an ornate pair of heavy thick
wooden doors, carved with intricate dragon heads painted in bright
reds and
golds, she found
herself standing alone, feeling like a tiny bug invading a huge
hallway. Craning her neck, she gazed up at a high ornate golden
ceiling intricately carved with the full forms of brightly painted
flying dragons. She sat herself down on a rich red velvet padding,
covering a dark wooden bench and admired the splendid interior of
the tall reception area. The floor was equally spectacular with
tiny mosaic tiles of multi-coloured marble, creating an array of
shimmering colours that produced a pattern of unique
beauty.

The Head Mage Hyfer arrived in the
hallway to greet her. This man, who was equal to none other than
the King, yet here he stood before her simply attired in a cream
cotton robe to his ankles and goatskin sandals. Attempting not to
look too awe inspired at his presence, Minnah stood and curtsied
genteelly and held out her hand as a gesture of greeting. He
received her fingertips gently and brushed his lips lightly on the
back of her dainty fingers.

‘My dear child,’ Hyfer began, ‘You
must be perplexed at this obscure invitation? If we were not so
pushed for time then things could have been done differently. I
would have sought your parent’s advice before the initiating of
this Primary Union. But, I grow old and senile and my son must take
my place as soon as he is ready. To do this he needs a bride and
that is where you come into the equation.’