An awkward silence fell over the group, but not for long. “We’ll discuss this later, but for now I’d like to introduce the young children to you.”
Hroombra sounded disappointed and uncomfortable, but Jahrra pushed this aside as she waited nervously to be introduced to the famous Raejaaxorix.
“This is Gieaun, and her brother Scede. And this, of course, is Jahrra.” Hroombra nodded to the children as he named them.
“I see you’ve grown up quite well, Jahrra,” Jaax remarked placidly, returning his gaze to the young girl, seeming to forget his rebuke of Hroombra. “I haven’t seen you since you were an infant.”
Jahrra shot Hroombra a look of surprise.
“That’s right,” the old dragon smiled. “He brought you here to us from the north, to your foster parents.”
“Really?” said Jahrra in bemusement.
She’d never really known how she’d come to be placed with her parents. Before now she always imagined coming to Oescienne with a large party of traveling merchants who had stopped to trade with her mother and father, only to discover that they would be the perfect people to raise the orphan child they’d found in the wilderness. Jahrra suddenly wondered if Jaax might know something about her original home and perhaps her real parents, but she felt too unsettled to ask any questions.
“Jaax has come to see how you’ve grown and he’s also brought something for you. Follow me.”
There was a twinkling in the old dragon’s eyes as he spoke, and soon all three children were being led eagerly around the side of the Ruin and out into the field just south of the old building. Raejaaxorix brought something for me? Jahrra could hardly believe it. She was afraid to breath, thinking that such a simple act might destroy this strange dream.
“Where’re we going?” she queried as she jogged to keep up with Hroombra’s slow but long stride.
Gieaun and Scede were right behind her with Jaax taking up the rear. His gait was much smoother than Hroombra’s and when Jahrra quickly glanced back at his alert figure she came to the conclusion that he never let his guard down.
“We’re going to the old stables that used to house the horses of the guards who, long ago, kept watch over the castle grounds from here,” Hroombra finally answered, tearing into Jahrra’s wandering thoughts.
The three children quickened their pace and started guessing at what the great Raejaaxorix might’ve brought for Jahrra. Gieaun guessed a robe woven by fairies, Scede a magical stone from the elves, but neither Jaax nor Hroombra would give in. After several failed guesses Jahrra and her friends gave up and focused on reaching their destination.
Jahrra scanned the edge of the field up ahead and discovered another ancient stone structure that must have been the stables Hroombra had mentioned. She’d never really thought about this other building before, imagining it was just the remains of an old storage shed.
The old stables were in much better shape than the Ruin itself, however. Most of the roof had rotted away and the wood gates that once stood in the openings had long ago disintegrated, leaving a gaping entrance framed in stone.
The group closed in on the stables and Jahrra immediately spotted something crumpled upon the ground. It looked like a discarded blanket lying within the stone walls. As she got closer, however, she realized that the blanket was in fact a tiny colt, grayish in color, huddled on a bed of fresh straw.
“Ohhhhhh!” she exclaimed in pure delight as she recognized the rather small creature. Gieaun and Scede also ran over, emitting sounds of excitement at the sight of the foal.
As the children sat adoring the tiny, sleeping horse, Hroombra turned to Jaax.
“Tell me where you found him again,” he asked in a low voice. All the cheer he’d used with the children had vanished and now a look of deep concern settled upon his weathered face.
“Just north of Lidien, at the base of the Hrunahn Footmountains,” Jaax answered grimly.
He then took a deep, troubled breath and continued on, “His mother was the unicorn Nihll, and his father was a semequin. The elves that found and cared for Nihll told me a mercenary of Cierryon had wounded her. She was able to communicate to them that she was east of Lake Hronah in the Arghott Forest where her herd lived before the Tyrant’s men found them and killed them all. She was shot as well but somehow she lost them in the hills. She then traveled as far west as she could, gave birth to this young one and died of her wounds.”
Jaax concluded his tale in a weary tone. He looked over at the children, who for now were well protected from such horrors.
“So it seems the Crimson King is no longer dormant in the east,” Hroombra said in a serious tone, still not loud enough for the children to hear. He blinked at Jaax and whispered, “Then it has started?”
“Something must have stirred his interest, yet I can’t say for sure how much time we have left. The Creecemind emperor has finally agreed to another meeting with me, but I’m afraid it will come to nothing, just like it did seven years ago. He remains stubbornly adamant about remaining neutral, at least until he sees the human child with his very own eyes.”
Jaax paused to let Hroombra turn this information over in his head before he continued.
Quietly and severely, he went on, “From my inquiries and observations throughout the west it has become clear to me that entire villages and towns are growing restless. Their citizens act like wounded prey being stalked. They know the Crimson King is watching and they know he means to attack but they don’t know when or how. It could happen in a month or ten years, I cannot tell you for sure. Some have even begun asking questions, more than before, questions I can’t afford to answer or to ignore. Yet we cannot take any risks; Jahrra must be kept safe from the outside world even if it means further distancing ourselves from our allies.” The Tanaan dragon took a deep breath and released it wearily. “At least for now.”
Hroombra simply nodded in response to this statement. So, he thought, remembering Cohrbin’s comments, it was an ill wind I detected after all.
“Then you must go,” the old dragon said somberly, looking away from Jaax. When he turned back around his eyes twinkled with emotion. “It seems to be a new habit of yours. Dropping off young orphans and then leaving the very next moment.”
Jaax simply looked towards the dark forest once again, not knowing how to respond.
“Go now, and be safe. Do what you must so that she can still live here in peace, at least for a while,” Hroombra said in a whisper.
Jaax turned to look at him, matching his morose demeanor.
“I shall,” he breathed. “Take good care of the young foal. I would have left him with the elves but I thought that Jahrra would need a good, strong horse when her fate called her. This little one will be perfect when he is grown.”
“Very well,” Hroombra answered quietly. “You’d better be off then. I’ll explain to the children why you’ve left.”
“Thank you. I hope to return again soon, when I know more.”
Jaax glanced down at Jahrra. She was too busy mooning over the young semequin to notice him turning to leave. Yes, he thought, we must keep her safe, and secret.
The young dragon walked back across the field and out to the road, rather stealthily for his size. He spread his great wings and just as silently, lifted off into the darkening spring sky. Hroombra watched him disappear like a dark cloud over the sun-gilded mountains, fearing for him the way he feared for Jahrra. He shook off his feelings of doubt and trepidation, despite an instinctual need for them, and turned to the three children.