Chap. 350 The Messenger

Chap. 350 The Messenger

“Can you walk to your caravan?” K’ndar asked, after Francie launched to take Vixen back to Lemos Hold.

“I am not sure. It’s only a few kilometers but..”

“I will take you on Raventh. Is there wing room where your caravan is?”

Lizard wrestled with confusion. I am really off my game right now, he thought. I hope I’m not so fuzzy headed after a good night’s sleep.

“I don’t know. Honestly, I seldom consider where a dragon might land, seeing that I don’t ride one. I would say no, there’s a lot of trees back there.”

“No problem. We’ll fly over it, in fact, we’ll probably just fly there instead of betweening it.”

Crunch whimpered, knowing Dad Was Going Somewhere Without Him.

“What about the dog?”

Lizard shrugged. “He’s never been dragonback before, but it’s okay.”

He turned to the dog. “Crunch. Go home.”

The dog looked quizzically at his master. The tail wagged but it was with an air of uncertainty.

“I’ll be there, unless, would you like to try riding on a dragon?”

The dog looked doubtful.

“Lizard, does he really get it?”

“K’ndar, he has a vocabulary of at least seventy words. He understands what I say, but I am unsure he if gets the context, in this case.”

The dog got up, shook himself and trotted to the road, where he turned west.

They laughed.

“He got it!” K’ndar exclaimed.

“Aye, he’s smart as a whip.”

“Let’s go,” he said. He helped Lizard aboard Raventh.

“I don’t know if it’s my age or my ribs or my head or my collar bone. Or all of them, but everything hurts,” Lizard said. Raventh lowered a knee as deeply as possible and only barely was Lizard able to mount.

“I should hope so! You had the stuffing knocked out of you, never mind lost a lot of blood. I’m betting men half your age would be begging to be ferried to Healer Hall. How old was your attacker?”

“I can’t say how old he was, K’ndar, I didn’t get a good look at his face. And desperate situations call for desperate actions. I’ll be sore for a week, not just from being boloed but for the exertions as well. “

He settled between the ridges along Raventh’s back.

“I’d forgotten how warm a dragon’s back can be,” he said, stroking Raventh’s smooth, leathery skin.

Scratch. RIght there, tell him to scratch.

K’ndar laughed

“Winter days like this one make me appreciate it,” K’ndar laughed, “and Raventh wants you to scratch where your hands are.”

Lizard laughed, and began to scratch the dragon’s spine. K’ndar could see the fatigue in the trader’s face as he buckled the man in.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’ll be alright, I just need a good cold drink of water and a nap. First, though, I’ve horses to care for when we get to my caravan,” the trader sighed.

“I should stay and help you,” K’ndar said, thinking the trader would need more than a nap. In the back of his mind, though, he felt the presence of his boss, waiting.

“That would be kind, K’ndar, but I know I’ve put you out, I’m certain you have work waiting for you at Landing.”

“You’ve done no such thing, Lizard, and my boss owes me a lot of favors. I could call this one in. Pern won’t stop rotating on her axis if I don’t put my data in today.”

K’ndar mounted. Siskin settled himself on his perch behind Raventh’s head.

Batu and Machli hovered over Lizard’s head.”Go home, my lovelies. I’ll be there shortly.”

Batu and Machli chittered and vanished.

The brown fire lizard swirled over head in indecision.

He wants to ride on my neck, like Siskin. He has never done it before. He sees raptors up high. If it weren’t for me, they’d be down here, hunting.

Invite him, then. Is he afraid?

Not of me or you. He is of the raptors, but all of them are. He is sad, he is lonely. Right now, he just wants dragon and lizard company.

He looked up and indeed, saw a large raptor soaring over head.

I love seeing them fly, he thought, they’re the essence of grace and power.

That’s a big raptor.

It is. I told the brown to come to me or go between if they attack

What will you do if they do?

I’ve told the fire lizards that I‘ll protect them. But it’s only because they are our friends. Raptors have to eat, too.

The brown chipped to Siskin, as if asking permission, then landed atop Raventh’s neck behind the blue.

What shall we do with him? K’ndar asked. I don’t know if I want a second fire lizard, but I can’t just abandon him. He’s a lovely beast.

I am not sure. We had Roany for the time it took to fatten him up and let his wings heal. Then he went back to the wild. But I don’t get the same feeling from this brown.

What do you mean?

Roany was alone for a very long time. He didn’t know where Greta had gone, he didn’t understand why Earth wasn’t responding to him. There wasn’t another fire lizard there. I don’t know why he didn’t go back to where he’d hatched.

He finally understood that Greta had abandoned him. He lost trust in humans. He was in bad shape, too. But while he missed his master, still, he’d forgotten much of his life with her. This brown, it’s all fresh? he knows what happened to his master and that he’s dead, and it happened this morning. Now he is lost.

Tell him he can stay with us as long as he likes. I don’t think Lizard’s pair will allow him to hang around with them. Or Francie’s.

That’s correct. Batu has no patience with other males around his queen.

He laughed in K’ndar’s mind. Sometimes he even gives me the alpha bronze look, it says away from my queen. Coora can be easier, I think, but that’s because he’s lazy. Or maybe it’s because he has two greens, not a gold.

What does Siskin think? Is he jealous? K’ndar asked, grinning.

No. He is a blue, after all. He knows he is ours. Or, I should say, we are his. The brown will make the decision about staying with us or leaving.

He realized Lizard had been talking while he was engaged with Raventh.

“I knew I had to kill him or at least disable him. I’m sure he’s bled to death by now, I know I severed that artery in his armpit. It’s a target people seldom think of but is an effective one. So now I can be thought of as a killer, and things don’t go well for killers.”

“It was self DEFENSE, Lizard! Not a soul on the planet will argue about your right to fight for your life,” K’ndar almost shouted.

“It was, and that’s why I’m not too worried about the social repercussions. Everyone knows there’s a difference between killing and murder. He tried to murder me. Vixen told me they’d already killed two other couriers, and she was sure they would kill her if they had to.

Human history is neck deep in the blood of innocent people murdered by other humans. Even now, there’s people who will murder without the slightest hesitation. How many Ruathans did Fax murder? Dozens.

I am not one who murders, and I don’t like to kill. It will bother me for a while. Killing doesn’t set well with a man’s supper, and I’ve not had mine yet. I don’t know if I can eat anything tonight.”

“I’ll get something from the dining hall,” K’ndar said, “and bring it out after work. If I say anything to Francie, she’ll bring half a wherry, braised in wine. With a loaf of fresh bread, stolen from under her husband’s nose.”

Lizard laughed. “That would be nice of you, K’ndar, but you don’t have to.”

K’ndar mounted Raventh.

“Shut up, old man, and hang on.”

———————————————————————————————————-

“Do you mind, or does Raventh mind, that we fly instead of go between? It’s not far, and I’d like to see if there’s any bodies laying about.”

“I know of one, see that kettle of scavengers east? There’s more on the um, carcass of one of the raiders. That’s what the brown fire lizard transmitted to Raventh.”

“I do see those, and I don’t see the man who attacked me laying where we’d fallen. So I’m assuming he was taken away. I can always console myself that I didn’t kill him, just disabled him permanently. But, look, I see Lord Toric’s men riding east. And now I see my own caravan! Ah, how I wish I’d Impressed! But no dragon would have me.”

Raventh’s wing strokes blew great gusts of air over their heads. “It’s a lot colder up here than I would have believed,” Lizard said.

K’ndar had been turning things over in his head. I don’t think it’s cold, but then I’m not bare to my chest. He should have put on the sweater. And I’ve not lost blood from being knifed. I really wish I could find a way of keeping an eye on him, at least for a day or two.

“Lizard, do you want to spend time in my quarters at Landing? We have excellent healers there, and I have the room.”

“Thank you, K’ndar, but no. Just like I told B’rost, I have my team, my fire lizards, and my dog to think of. That, and you know me, I’ve always been a loner.”

“Yes, but,”

“I know, I know. Tell you what. If I need help, I’ll send Batu. I know you have to get back to work, anyway. Thanks, mate, for all of your help, yours and that of your friends.”

“You’re welcome, although you’re family, Lizard. No thanks needed.”

Lizard pushed a poignant feeling aside. Family. Sometimes it’s so inconvenient, like now, to not have one, but most of the time, I’m happy to have just animals as family.

“Whoa, what a lovely view,” Lizard said, “One of these days, when I’m healed up, do you mind taking me for a long ride?”

“I would be honored, sir.”

Raventh judged the landing area behind the palisade wall. Below them, Lizard’s team grazed, not far from where the caravan was tucked under the shade of a tree.

I don’t think you should land there.

I could, but it would be a tight fit. There’s plenty of room in the front meadow.

“Hang on, Lizard, we’re going to land. Raventh will let you down as easy as manylegs down.”

Lizard laughed. “That stuff can be sticky, K’ndar.”

Raventh landed with extra care in the meadow.

That was perfect. I don’t think you’ve ever made a softer landing.

I don’t want to hurt the trader. He is a good human.

Crunch came running up the road, barking in joy, as if he’d been separated for months.

Their fire lizards began to quarter over the meadow, hunting, but also keeping a wary eye on the sky.

“Daft dog,” Lizard said, fondly.

“But a good one, Lizard.”

“Aye. He saved my life.”

He dismounted, and helped Lizard down. Male diplomacy kept him from exclaiming how badly the man was walking. Is it age, or is it injuries? A slashed collar bone is no fun, I imagine. Never mind that he was pummeled by rocks and knocked in the head.

The bolo rocks.

“Lizard, the bolo that hit you. It was cut up, but I know from having thrown a few myself, they’re very good rocks, probably worth a lot of money. Shall I pick them up for you?”

“No, that’s okay. You can keep them if you like. The way I feel right now, I don’t want anything to remind me of this morning! But if you’re going to search for them, if you should find a sea cap, pick it up. The Sea Treader’s cook lent it to Vixen, I wore it as part of my disguise, and I’d like to see it returned to the Sea Treader someday.”

Batu and Machli swooped over their heads, chittering. They perched atop an outcrop, watching the raptor far overhead.

From the back meadow, they heard a horse whinny. Lizard smiled.

“I don’t know what I’d do without my beasts. My horses, my dog, my fire lizards” he said, as he walked through the passageway.

“I know. Lizard, if I’d not impressed Raventh, I’d have probably struck out on my own to raise horses. My father was a brutal bastard, but he knew horses and bred good ones. He taught me just about everything I know about breeding, raising, training them.”

“You’d have done well to work with your brother Sandriss. Who knows, maybe you would have become our third partner.”

The draft horses came trotting up, wondering where the carrots were. The gelding snuffled at his bloody head.

“I’m okay, laddie.” He stroked the gelding’s neck. “My word but you’re both wonderful horses.”

He looked at K’ndar. “I still have to groom them, check their feet, everything. The raiders upset my schedule,” Lizard said.

I should stay and help, K’ndar thought. But I’m sure that I’ll be getting a call from Raylan at any moment.

He looked around and realized what a lovely place the hidden meadow was.

“Whoa, this is a little bit of paradise,” he sighed. “You were right, you have shade trees, water and even that little shelter? How did you find this spot?”

“Pure luck, K’ndar. Several years ago I drove past the meadow in front of the palisade. It was full of little pony sized grazers. They spooked and bolted through the passageway, behind this outcrop, that’s how I found it. Otherwise I would have kept on going without a clue.”

“I think I saw them when we first came out of between. They went FAST.”

“Aye, they were probably the same animals. Anyway, I’ve stayed here every time I’ve come this route. It’s a lovely spot, it goes for a long ways-five or so kilometers, before another palisade encloses it. There’s a series of smaller openings on that far side, not wide enough for a caravan, but a man on a horse might barely fit. Then it opens up onto kilometers of more wilderness.”

He put his hands on his hips, soaking in the lovely spot.

“With a little judicious pasture management, horses could graze here year round. If I’m ever forced to settle down, this may just be the place I’ll do it in.”

K’ndar looked at the trader. That may be sooner than you wish, he thought.

I’d love to find those animals, I’d love to sit and find out what happened to you today. But I really don’t have time to stay here, I have to get to work.

“Lizard, I’m going to have to go. My boss is a good one but he does expect me to put in work. Yet I’m worried about you.”

The man turned. “I know, K’ndar. But…”

They were interrupted by fire lizard shrieks.

A raptor attacking our lizards! Raventh shouted

Siskin!

Confused, K’ndar ran back through the passageway just in time to see a large raptor plummet to the ground, a fire lizard in his talons.In one smooth move, it reached between its legs and bit the lizard. The fire lizard screeched.

“HEY!” he shouted. He saw a blur of blue-it was Siskin, diving beneath Raventh and vanishing.

Raventh hissed and moved towards the raptor.

It squawked at Raventh, raising its wings in defiance. But the oncoming dragon was too much. The raptor launched, beating massive wings to gain altitude, and flew away.

Oh, no, he caught the brown, he thought.

Lizard came walking as fast as he could, calling “Batu! Machli!”

His fire lizards appeared right before him, hissing.

“It’s the brown,” K’ndar said, “A raptor got him!”

But he was wrong. He walked to the spot he’d seen the raptor land. Raventh met him there.

“What is it? I see the brown, it’s not him,” Lizard called.

A green fire lizard lay in a rapidly growing pool of her own blood. She looked at K’ndar, the light in her eyes starting to fade.

“It’s a green fire lizard,” he said. No, no, no, no, please, not one of Francie’s greens.

The brown fire lizard landed next to her. He called to her, softly.

He knows her Raventh said.

Is she one of Francie’s? Or, oh no, not Putzu?

Raventh was silent for a moment.

No. I do not know who she is.

A wave of relief flooded him.

She is sending images to our lizards. Now she sees me and is sending me images of a human.

Lizard came up beside him. “She’s sending images,” he said.

K’ndar reached down to gently touch the broken body. She weeked, and the brown responded. “She’s still alive,” he said, “But I don’t think she’ll last for long. Poor thing.”

She is sending an image of a man to all of us. It’s as if she wants to send a message to the human she looks to. She knows she is dying.

“Oh, the poor thing,” Lizard said, “she’s sending images to Batu and Machli. They’re of…”

He gasped. “No, this can’t be right. No, but it has to be right.”

“What? All I’m seeing is what Raventh is transferring, that of a man.”

“Yes. Yes. I see him, too. He’s the one who attacked me!”

“WHAT?”

The green’s chest stopped moving. Her eyes closed.

She is gone.

The brown fire lizard made the most mournful sound the two had ever heard. Batu, Machli and Siskin swirled over their heads, hissing in reaction to the raptor’s attack.

They mated at least once Raventh said. Now he has lost two, his human and his mate

Lizard sighed. “We’re lucky the raptor didn’t get ours. It happens. Raptors have to eat, too. I’m surprised though that it was able to nail her. Ours saw the raptor early on.”

“It may be she came out of between right underneath him. I thought it was the brown for a moment.”

He reached down to lift one limp wing.

“By the stars,” he said. “A harness.”

He looked at Lizard. “She’s wearing a harness! With a message pouch!”

“I’m willing to bet this green was sent from the spymaster in Lemos Hold. “

“Spy? Lemos Hold? What’s going on?”

“Vixen told me, and I believe her. There’s an organized gang on both continents, communicating with each other via fire lizard. She suspects there’s a spy master in Lemos Hold, that’s how they knew she was coming with her, um, cargo for Lord Toric. The brown looked to the leader of the gang who came here from Northern. See if there’s a message in the pouch.”

K’ndar gently turned the dead green over. His and Lizard’s fire lizards were still flying over Raventh’s head, taking care to stay close to the dragon. Just in case.

He gently unharnessed the green and opened the pouch. Inside was a tightly rolled strip of lightwood.

“Lightwood strips. Be careful, that stuff is fragile.”

“It’s a long string of letters, but they’re not words. They’re nonsense.”

He handed it to Lizard.

He looked at it for a long moment. “People who don’t want their messages read by just anyone put them in code. Like this.”

Just then, K’ndar’s data link called.

It was Raylan.

“K’ndar, Francie just returned and is telling me what all you’ve been up to. I appreciate your concern for your friend, but, I have to ask you to return to Landing, soon, please?

Lizard looked at K’ndar. I know what “soon” means, in that tone of voice. It means, “now”.

K’ndar sighed.

“Yes, sir, I’ll be there shortly.”

“Is Fire Lizard Man okay?” Raylan asked. K’ndar wondered if he asked because he was expected to, rather than wantingd to know.

Lizard, disliking datalinks, still understood them.

“I’m okay, sir, I’ll manage. I’m sending your dragonrider home now.”

“Who’s that?”

“That’s Lizard,” they heard Francie in the background.

“On my way, sir,” K’ndar said, and thumbed the data link off. He looked at Lizard with dismay. “Uh, I have to go. Please, if you need help, don’t hesitate to send Batu. I’ll do what I can,” he said, irritated that his job was interfering with his life. But I have the life because of the job.

“Thanks, K’ndar.”

They both looked at the message in his hand. K’ndar looked at Lizard.

“I can’t read this,” K’ndar said, “But I know someone who can.”

Jansen.