"Lilly and the Dragon"

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Back from holiday...

[ September 28, 2003, 03:06: Message edited by: Kasandra ]

 

Well den, gits on wit da tale, me wants tae sees dis dragoon agin.

 

Her expression bemused, Lilly asked, “You say your mother was a Dao'qualshin? I am not sure I have ever heard of them.” Riccan’s answer about his mother intrigued the Knight, perhaps Dao’qualshin’s were akin to Elves or Dwarves; they too were very long lived. He had asked about her family, how was she to answer?

“My family has been gone many years, Riccan. I hardly knew them. They were killed when I was very young. I was luckier than most orphans because friends of my family took me to the Queen’s court. The Queen took pity on me and allowed me to stay at the palace. She had me educated with her own children. As I said, I was very lucky.”

They had been walking for hours and Lilly was certain she saw lights up ahead. It late afternoon and it would soon be dark. She was relieved to see as they neared the lights that they were actually campfires. This must be the camp Ricccan spoke of earlier. She wondered if they were a safe distance from the soldiers of the Oasis.

As though he read her mind, Riccan turned towards her and said, “We will be safe here through the night. Do not fear, Lady Lilly, I have Sorrow’s End to keep guard over us.” Lilly smiled and nodded her head.

Riccan walked into the center of the camp and began speaking to an elderly man in a language she was unfamiliar with, but the old man obviously understood because he began smiling and nodding, then pointed to a tent to his right.

Lilly followed the Smith as he headed to the tent. He lifted the flap and motioned for her to enter. The Knight was not sure what she expected to see, but she was very pleasantly surprised by the interior, there were multi-colored silks hanging from the roof of the tent and large cushions scattered around the rug covered floor. In the rear of the tent there was a great circular bed covered with brightly hued blankets.

She sank into one of the cushions with a sigh. Quickly pulling off her boots, she wiggled her toes with relief, and then unfastened her armor and let it fall to the floor with a dull thud. Dressed only in her blouse and breeches, the Knight pulled over another cushion and lay back on them. Turning on her side, she cupped her head in her hand and asked, “Well, Sir Smith, I see only one bed, shall we toss a coin to see which of us will sleep in comfort?”

 

Riccan watched the Lady Knight get comfortable quickly. For past deeds, he was always welcomed a bed to sleep on here, but this was not the case this time. One bed, two people, one man and one woman. The simple logic of the situation was not hard to figure out as was the seemingly very real and most likely pleasurable solution. One thing was amiss, Riccan had very little, okay no experience with the fairer sex in such matters. Looking at Lilly laying there did awaken some urges, but that is how far it always got and no more.

“No need for the coin toss, Lady Knight, I have no coin. The bed is yours with my wishes for a good night’s rest. I must also clarify one thing, Sorrow’s End will protect me, in case harm is set my way. You just happen to be with me back in Oasis when those guards choose to end their lives and attack me.” Riccan finished, but could not take his eyes off Lilly, so beautiful.

“Once the sun goes completely down, I would stay in the tent or go to places where people gather, I am expecting a visitor tonight. Someone that I suggest you not meet. Until then you are a guest of mine, and if you are in need to anything here let Salubra know. The man I spoke with before, if within reason it will be done.” Riccan said with a smile laced with real concern. He set down his pack and drove Sorrow’s End into the ground inside the large tent. He then sat on a cushion and stretched out in relaxation.

 

Settled comfortably on the plump pillows, Lilly watched the Smith with some amusement. He seemed a bit flustered after she asked him about flipping a coin for the bed. After he told her she could have the bed, he went on to explain that his magical spear would only protect him from attack. How gallant of the spear! But she was not concerned, there was little she could not handle, even thugs attacking in the middle of the night.

After Riccan lay down, Lilly pondered his parting words. So, someone was coming to meet him later. She wondered who it could be, especially since he warned her to either stay in tent or leave. Well, she had no intention of leaving the tent; she wanted to see who this mysterious guest was and what he wanted of the Smith.

Standing, she moved to the bed and fell right into the softness of the pillows. She had not realized just how tired she was and how good the bed would feel.

The Smith was turning out to be more of a challenge than she first thought. He was refusing to make the weapon and armor for her, and worse her time was getting short. She imagined the dragon was someplace close and she wondered just how long he would remain patient. As tired as her body was, her mind was racing with thoughts. Foremost, was how to persuade the Smith to do as she wanted? She knew he was taken with her from the first time he laid eyes on her, and if she had to use her considerable charms on him, she would. It would be a small price to pay, and he was not without his own appeal.

But right now, her eyelids were heavy and her body warm and comfortable. She would think about what to do in the morning. Turning on her side, Lilly looked over at the sleeping Smith and thought, “Yes, tomorrow would be time enough to make her plans.”

 

An extremely odd chilling wind brushed across Riccan’s face, waking him up. It was a hour or two past midnight and the tent village was quiet except for a barking dog in the night. A voice on the wind touched Riccan’s ear calling him forth away from soft pillows and warm bodies. The smith looked over to the sleeping Lilly, for a moment he smiled at her unpracticed beauty, only evident when one sleeps. He stood and left through the flaps of the tent.

“You left me only four Riccan, that was barely worth the time to travel there. I always thought you were welcomed in these lands. So why did they come for you? Oh wait, a woman, you have taken a woman.” A man spoke from the darkness than walked into the light of a fading campfire. He was a good foot and a half shorter than Riccan, but he had the same gleaming white hair and sharp eyes. His face though held malevolence in every pore, malice in every glance, and his voice was malign. There are not enough words beginning with ‘m’ to describe the evil of this man, but he spoke with concern to the smith.

“No Zaha, I never intend to leave you any. And yes I am traveling with a woman at this time.” Riccan said unafraid, and with a blushing grin at the end.

“Come walk with me, before I am discovered and made to slay every living creature in a hour walk from here. I have been a bit restless as of late. So tell me, who is this woman?” the man now known as Zaha began again and started walking away from the tents.

“A knight on a quest. She sought me out to…” Riccan was interrupted.

“To make a weapon and suit of armor unlike any ever forged before. I must say I am quite proud of you Riccan your skill is well known in many circles far and near.” Zaha chuckled.

“Thank you, I would like to say the same about you, but everyone who knows of you really hates you. This knight does not seek some unique at all, she seek weapons of dragonkind.” Riccan was about to continue but was interrupted again.

“A dragon slayer huh? I thought you and your ilk were bound by your all mighty oath never to make those again. Oh what times those were, such death, such power. I better stop before I get downright giddy. I think you should make them for her, let the Dragon Wars start up again, I have not had such fun in sometime. Oh, but there I go again, the oath, that damned oath. Ah well more enjoyment slipped through my fingers again.” Zaha said in a mocking sort of way.

“If you are not going to make the items, why keep her along? More importantly, why were you sleeping on the ground while she half undressed was on the bed beckoning you to take her over and over again?” Zaha started up again and got a little too excited.

“I don’t know why she follows me, I already said no. I can’t tell her to go though, she, she reminds me of Aneska. Why did you have to be the one she chose? Maybe Lilly is my Aneska.” Riccan said a little downtrodden.

“Oh kid, I hope not Aneska was no prize. I would not have wished her on my enemies let alone you. Well maybe my enemies. In the end one of had to go, and well she was just not powerful enough to last against me. Anyways, I have been watching you since you left Oasis. I see how you are with her, that is why I left you be until now. She has not left because she has a plans and those plans are not hers alone. You are being followed.” Zaha began but this time he was interrupted.

“Yes, I know about the dragon. How could I not? I am not sure which it is, but I know I am not the first Mystic Smith to be approached as of late with this offer. Though I am the first to be approached by a woman. This dragon means to start another war.” Riccan then interrupted in turn.

“Then let them start it, lets finish the job started those many years ago. Let them kill themselves, and we shall be there to collect the rewards. What power we could gain Riccan. If this woman wants to kill a dragon then let her, but you know as well as I she can not do it alone. Give her the tools, for once think about yourself instead of the others.” Zaha argued on.

“Zaha, I can not, to break the oath would be equal to betraying you. Those are two things that could never happen while I am alive. I hope you understand.” Riccan almost pleading.

“Of course I do. I knew your answer before you spoke. You can not fault me for trying. But know if this knight goes back empty handed she will be a small meal for a angry dragon. Have you thought of that?” Zaha answered with a grin.

“Yes I know. I don’t want that, but what can I do?” Riccan said.

“You will figure it out, you always do little brother. I promise mother that I would tell you to go visit sometime soon. She misses you and it has been sometime now since you have been home. Now it time for me to go, a battle is brewing to the west. I think I will go make sure the largest amount of people are killed. By the way what is this knight’s name?” Zaha said with another sinister grin.

“Lilly” was all Riccan said.

“Never heard of a Lilly with thorns, watch yourself kid.” Zaha chuckled and pull a black pearl out of his belt pouch. Whispering some arcane words he vanished leaving Riccan alone in the dark under the stars. Riccan sat down and just sat for a while.

[ October 25, 2003, 16:19: Message edited by: Riccan ]

 

Lilly woke with a start as she felt a cold air rush over her. Opening her eyes she waited until they adjusted to the dim light and then sat up and looked around the tent. She was surprised to see the Smith was gone. Hearing muffled voices outside, she quietly got up and slowly walked over to the flap of the tent and listened.

“…you have taken a woman.”


The Knight heard the Smith answer and then the voices trailed off. The speakers must be walking away from the tent. Lilly carefully opened the flap and poked her head out, looking left and right. She saw Riccan and another shorter man talking off to the right of the campfire. Running to the back of the tent, Lilly raised the heavy material and crawled under it. Sneaking between the tents she came around one opposite the two men. Crouching down she listened as they talked.

“A dragon slayer, huh? I thought you and your ilk were bound by your all mighty oath never to make those again. Oh, what times those were, such death, such power. I better stop before I get downright giddy. I think you should make them for her, let the Dragon Wars start up again, I have not had such fun in sometime. Oh, but there I go again, the oath, that damned oath. Ah well, more enjoyment slipping through my fingers again.”

Lilly face showed her shock as she thought, “Damn! Damn! Whoever this stranger is, he knows why I want the armor and weapon. How can that be possible? Wait, he does not know the truth of my quest, only the means. I still must find a way to sway the Smith, by any means I can. I have seen how he looks at me; perhaps it will not be as difficult as I think.”

Listening again, Lilly tried to see what the shorter man looked like, but he stayed in the shadows. She was not sure she really wanted to meet him from the way he spoke to the Smith; his voice was cold and malevolent. The wind was getting stronger, so she was only able to pick up words here and there. But, the few words were enough for her to understand that the stranger with the chill voice knew Plethor was following them.

As she watched the stranger suddenly vanished into thin air. He was a mage of some sort, and from what she heard a very powerful one. Too bad he disappeared; she could certainly use him in her quest. He did not seem, from what she heard, averse to allowing the dragons to destroy one another.

Hurrying back to the tent she quickly got in bed and had just covered up when the Smith returned. Appearing to turn in her sleep, she watched as Riccan stopped by her bed and looked down on her. When he turned to his sleeping place, Lilly smiled as she thought, “Yes, I think I know just how to convince the Smith to help me.”

 

Riccan watch the stars for a little while, trying to think of a way out of this. He needed to either make the weapons and start a massive world that would kill more than just dragons, or he needed to find a way not to make the weapons and safeguard Lilly’s failure, or lastly he just stand up get his pack and move on alone and let fate sort it out. What there another way Riccan wondered. He then focused on Zaha’s last words, a lilly with thorns. Zaha has the way to see more into a situation then most, a lilly with thorns. Lillies don’t have thorns, so either this Lilly is pretending to have thorns or she is pretending to be a Lilly when she is not. It was time to find out. Riccan walked back to the tent.

“Lilly I know you are awake, and I know what you heard. So tell me, are you a lilly pretending to have thorns, or are you pretending to be a lilly with thorns?” Riccan said in a normal tone.

“What is the name of the dragon that has been following us as well? Choose you answers carefully or I will be gone before you finish.” Riccan said again in a normal tone.

 

“Lilly I know you are awake, and I know what you heard. So tell me, are you a lilly pretending to have thorns, or are you pretending to be a lilly with thorns?” Riccan asked her in a normal tone. Lilly turned over and stared up at him.

“What is the name of the dragon that has been following us as well? Choose you answers carefully or I will be gone before you finish.”

Before she answered, Lilly quickly weighed her options and surprisingly only came up with one, the truth. Well, her version of the truth.

“What do you mean am I a lily with or without thorns? Did that Mage befuddle your mind? My name is Lilly and as you can see quite plainly I have no thorns. The dragon’s name is Plethor and he has sent me on this quest. He desires you craft the armor and a weapon for me so that I might slay another dragon, one he tells me is preparing for another Dragon War. He did convince me that what he said was true.”

Lilly then related to the Smith what Plethor had told her about Kunda and her plans to destroy the other races. She carefully scrutinized Riccan’s face as she spoke, but his expression never changed. Did he believe her? More importantly would he help her?

“I do not know how the dragon will react if I fail to obtain the armor and weapon. He seems quite reasonable when he speaks, but then again he is a dragon. He might kill me on the spot. I just do not know. What I do know is that I need your help and will pay whatever price you ask.”

Lilly continued to look at the Smith, her green eyes full of hope. When he still did not speak, she realized there was only one thing left to do. The Knight saw how Riccan looked at her, saw his desire. Throwing back the coverlet, she smiled up at the Smith and asked, “It is rather a chill night, will you join me?”