“This is not faith,” Gartrand said, thumping his tail. “I, too, want to survive. Who ever wants to die? But we have stepped into the humans’ trap. Let us kill this evil sorcerer and fly away to safety.”
Gartrand lunged toward Merlin. In a flash of wings and glistening red scales, Clefspeare blocked Gartrand’s path, but when he opened his mouth to attack, only hot air spewed forth. He turned, as if trying to slash his foe with his tail, but when he swung, the tail shriveled and vanished.
Edging backwards, Gartrand trembled. “This must be one of Merlin’s tricks. The rest of us are still in dragon form.”
Clefspeare’s scales melted into smooth skin, his claws reshaped into fingers and nails, and his giant mouth shrank into the jaw and lips of a human male. Gartrand let out a piercing scream and took to the skies, still completely in dragon form.
Clefspeare pressed his hands together and interlocked his fingers. Hartanna shuffled toward him, and as she moved, her spiny top transformed into long, silky blonde tresses and her scales smoothed into milky white skin. Soon, the other dragons began the metamorphosis, and within minutes, all eleven had the appearance of fully mature adults, perhaps in their early to late thirties. When the process was complete, they gathered together in excited laughter.
Merlin rose to his feet and carried his leather bag to the huddle. He pulled out bundles of clothing dresses, shirts, and breeches and tossed them to the ground. “Get dressed,” he said, in a matter-of-fact tone. “You are naked, and the king is watching.”
“Oh! Yes, of course!” Hartanna picked up one of the dresses and smiled. “Come everyone! Here is another new experience. Clothes!”
The former dragons picked through the garments, offering pieces to one another and helping each other figure out how the fasteners worked. Soon, all were dressed in the garb of middle-income commoners.
While Thigocia buttoned the back of Hartanna’s dress, she peered at Merlin over her daughter’s shoulder. “Master Merlin, what of Gartrand? Surely this was unexpected.”
Merlin dropped his bag to the grass. “Unexpected, indeed, and unfortunate.”
Thigocia fastened the last button. “How so?”
“He may be the only dragon left in the world. He will feel abandoned, frightened. He will not take the usual care, so Sir Devin will have no trouble finding him. Gartrand is extremely vulnerable, and since he knows what has happened, all of you are vulnerable as well.”
“What shall we do?” Hartanna asked.
“While I was in prayer, the Lord spoke to me. His purpose remains unchanged, but with the departure of the traitor, God will accomplish what he has set out to do in another way.”
“Traitor?” Clefspeare tied a leather belt around his waist. “Will Gartrand betray us?”
“Yes, but only at the point of a sword. Devin will extract the information he needs by force.”
“Then the slayers will pursue us always,” Hartanna concluded.
“I fear you are correct. They will continue to sharpen their swords, and the scent of your blood will never leave their nostrils.”
Arthur walked out of the woods and approached the gathering. “Hail, great council,” he said, bowing. “I salute you who were once clothed in the majesty of your race. As long as I live, I will protect you. I cannot take the slayer’s thirst for your blood out of his soul, but I can deprive him of the means to pursue his quest.”
Hartanna curtsied, clumsily at first, but with her second effort, as gracefully as any princess. “I trust that you will prove your promises, my king.” She touched Merlin’s elbow. “Master Merlin, if the slayers are unable to destroy us in their lifetimes, they will surely teach their bloodlust to their descendants. How, then, will we ever become dragons again?”
Merlin took her hand. “Hartanna, it’s possible that some of you will never be dragons again.”
A rumble of murmurs sounded from the gathering. Hartanna waited for the noise to subside, then clasped Merlin’s hand firmly in both of hers and gazed into his eyes. “How will our race survive? How long shall we live? Shall we procreate? And if we do, what kind of creature shall we beget?”
Merlin signaled for all the dragons to come close, and when they were within a whisper’s distance, he looked around at the circle of concerned eyes. “You will not be able to procreate with each other,” he said softly, “but you will live long on the earth. I know of no dragon who has ever died of natural causes, but death is part of Adam’s curse. I cannot say how you will be affected.”
“No progeny?” Hartanna said. “Then all is lost?”
Merlin shook his head. “No, Hartanna. All is not lost. Listen to a new prophecy.” He lifted his hands toward the sky and began to sing, his voice low and sweet.
When hybrid meets the fallen seed
The virgin seedling flies;
An orphaned waif shall call to me
When blossom meets the skies.
The child of doubt will find his rest
And meet his virgin bride;
A dragon shorn will live again
Rejecting Eden’s pride.
A slayer comes and with his host
He fights the last of thee,
But faith alone shall win the war
The test of those set free.
A king shall rise of Arthur’s mold,
The prophet’s book in hand;
He takes the sword from mountain stone
To rescue captive bands.
Merlin lowered his hands. During his song, the former dragons had settled to their seats, and now they waited in silence. After a minute or two, Hartanna gazed up at Merlin. “What does it mean?”
“I don’t know, dear lady, but I think the passing of time will disclose every secret.” He sighed and kicked his nearly empty saddlebag. “Now that we have to go to Camelot on foot, there is no need to carry unnecessary baggage.” He bowed to Arthur. “Are you ready for another adventure, my king?”
Arthur bowed in return. “Lead the way. I will guard the rear.”
Merlin headed for the woods, marching with Clefspeare on one side and Valcor on the other. “Because of Gartrand’s treachery,” Merlin said, “I must take an extraordinary step in order to oversee the salvation of the dragons. Soon, I will have to depart for a very long time.”
“Where will you go?” Valcor asked.
“I only know that somehow I will guide the paths of those God has chosen to fulfill his prophecy.” When they entered the forest and began descending the slope, Merlin grabbed a sturdy stick and leaned on it with every second step. “While we are awaiting my departure, the two of you must prepare. Clefspeare, in order to help me preserve the king’s life and rule, I will ask him to make you a member of his court and family. Valcor, you must go into hiding, in case Devin figures out who Clefspeare really is. A male dragon must be preserved at all costs.”
“Into hiding?” Valcor asked. “Where?”
“Do you know where Blood Hollow is?”
Valcor pointed westward. “The glen in Bowman’s Forest.”
“Exactly. Meet me there at midnight at the next full moon, and I will show you a place you can stay. I don’t want to mention your hideaway now, because it would be best if Clefspeare doesn’t know where you are.”
Valcor nodded. “I understand.”
“I will arrive at Blood Hollow with the king,” Merlin continued. “There is something I must show you and Arthur before I go on my journey.”
“I trust that you will return soon,” Clefspeare said. “We have few friends besides you.”
Merlin handed his walking stick to Clefspeare, then draped an arm around each former dragon. “Don’t worry. I will eventually return. . in one form or another. The dragons will not be left without a friend.”
Chapter 10
As the king paced in front of the throne, Merlin’s cheeks burned, but he kept his voice in check. “A day will come,” Merlin said, “when Morgan will pay for all her sins. I didn’t expose her identity to you at first, because I had hoped that she could be redeemed. I even told her about finding a hostiam, her only path to salvation, and how did she repay my kindness?” He paused, swallowing to control his emotions. “She poisoned my wife with her devilish fruit!”