Rhianon-8. War and Magic

She almost dropped the brush she was running through her hair. Mastema! Madael! He was the same under every name. Only his character was different for everyone.

«With his runes, his coils, his annals, and so much more, I learned in his own tower,» she cut out. «There is not much the dragon can teach me. He is only a follower, not an innovator. Madael was the first to rise, and the others only followed.»

«And now they’re all biting their claws in frustration. Take me, for example…»

«I don’t care about your complaints. If you wish to be with me, serve me, but if you will not do as I command, I swear I will find a spell that will banish you once and for all.»

For a moment the room was silent. She could even hear the fire crackling on the logs. Any sound would have seemed loud now.

«Well, all right,» the spirit agreed reluctantly and in such a mournful tone as if she were sending him to his own execution.

Rhianon wasn’t going to feel sorry for him.

«While you look around the castle and steal anything of value, I’ll have a word with the dragon you told me about.»

«You’ll have an easier time with him,» the spirit cheered up. «He could be called a scholar. At least he has more of his memory than most. Or rather, he’s forgotten almost nothing. You know what I mean?»

She nodded. The sight of the angels, who retained memories of their former glory only in their dreams, depressed her. To her mind they were magnificent even now, looking like the living contents of a jewel box in their dragon armor. But they had been different before, truly beautiful, wise and seductive. Now, when they looked at their own reflection, they could feel only pain. So they preferred to gaze at the jewels and gold as a reminder of their former brilliance.

Some dragons still retained their former minds, they also collected books. Madael said that the greatest punishment for most of them was the loss of their sanity. It is hardest for those who have lost all or part of their memory, because the mind tries to return to something former, but runs into a wall of timelessness. It’s painful to know that you have to remember something that’s slipping away. But from here on earth, the creators of poetry, music, and verse emerged. Their partial memory pours out only as fantasy, and their path lies toward the Cathedral of Thunder and the ritual knife. At the thought of the blood sacrifice, Rhianon shuddered. Those renegades of Madael’s army, condemned as punishment to feel like mere humans, sacrifice their mortal bodies to gain their lost wings. But at least they can do so by becoming their former selves, albeit extremely angry, while magical beings have no such option. It is only for those who have suffered most. Rhianon imagined how crushed an angel felt, retaining scrappy memories of brilliance but forced to consider himself a mere mortal. People do not accept him, heaven rejects him. Hell puts a choice before him. And then there is the Cathedral of Thunder and the bloody path to it. Sometimes she dreamed that she was walking down this path lined with roses. Her feet are already wounded and bloody from their thorns, and there is still no end to the path. Madael said that this path appears only during an eclipse of the sun, when one of the chosen ones is ready to take it. No man would ever walk this path, only those who belonged to his army. Rhianon was not one of them. By tearing her own guts out during the ritual, she could only die. Or did the fact that she had slept with a fallen angel make her equal to his host?

She had many difficult questions. Perhaps the wise dragon could answer them all. Of course, only if he retained all of his former mind, not just the remnants of it.

Though if he collected the scrolls that held the symbols and secrets of the angels, then Rhianon could read them herself. She understood their language, so the mysterious writings would be comprehensible to her as well. She knew that the important thing was not to trouble oneself with trying to read or decipher something, if she was strong enough to do so, and if she got close enough to the forbidden, the mysteries would reveal themselves to her. That was how she first understood the magical symbols, just by looking at them. That was how she began to understand the language of beasts and birds. That’s how she learned to read minds.

And that wasn’t all she could do. She could see more clearly than dragons. She could sense the presence of supernatural beings from afar. And she could hear everything for miles around. She could hear everything, down to the smallest of sounds. Sometimes it seemed to her that not a cacophony of voices, but a whole cobweb wove the world, and in this cobweb she could distinguish any sound.

Thus she knew that the dragon was awake even before she approached his cave. It was hard to call it a cave, to be exact. From a distance the magnificent tower, with its many staircases and branching passages, might have looked like a real building, but only up close did she realize that it was carved entirely out of the mountain. It had once been a mountain range, but now it took the shape of a bastion. It would have passed for a fairy joke if the light in the distant windows had not been burning.

As they approached, another oddity became apparent. The tower had no gates or doors, only arched windows, disproportionately huge and devoid of glass or any visible barrier. They seemed to beckon birds to fly in.

Rianon could not fly. It was the one ability that Madael had never given her. But she had her pegasus. He could easily carry her to one of the huge windows. This time, though, he hesitated for a long time. She reassured him in a quiet whisper, explaining that she would be fine. Just in case, he would have to stay close to one of the windows to help her out. They had been traveling together a lot lately and had become very close. Rhianon could easily read his mind because he let her do it herself. So she learned that before, that is, when he was still an elf, his name was Noreus, and there was a time when he sought advice from this very wise dragon, under whose tower they were now. All members of the magical race who could not remember something themselves turned to him for advice or help. The fairy slipped out of one window in tears seemed to be no exception, and apparently the dragon had refused to help her or told her something that upset her greatly. Rhianon glanced at a figure in greenish attire hovering overhead. She resembled someone strongly. Rhianon had seen a peaked cap with a veil over her red curls before, but what was the name of the fairy who wore it? Certainly she was not one of the fairies who had met Rhianon at the ball. Who was she, then? She looked a little like a spinster, but they were tiny, and she was tall and statuesque. Rhianon followed the figure until it disappeared into the darkness. The transparent wings fluttering behind her reminded her of those of a dragonfly.

«Well, what are we waiting for?» She asked Noreus. It was his duty to get Rhianon to the window, preferably not the one the dragon was watching. Rianon could tell from a distance that he had recently returned from a hunt. His lair still smelled of blood and his claws of heat. He knew how to make candles light with magic, not fire. The wax in them never melted, but there was enough light to illuminate the library. Truth be told, the light was a luxury rather than a necessity, since a dragon could read in total darkness as well. For Rhianon herself, the distant moonlight was sufficient to discern all the lines of a book, and she could see just as well in the dark. She wondered what sort of power she had to be able to distinguish letters in the dark, unless they were fiery. To her ultra-sharp hearing came the quiet rustling of pages, the sound of dragon breaths, the scraping of claws. He did not pull books from the shelves, but brought them to him in time of need, brought by magic. He did not write himself, the quill itself drew strange symbols on the parchment. Only it wasn’t ink, it was blood. Blood was what he needed. So once a week he went out hunting. Rhianon sympathized with his victims. More often than not, he would mutilate them severely before he killed them, but the angelic knowledge inscribed in the scrolls demanded their blood.

Once in the tower, she felt insecure at first. Everything here was quite nicely furnished. Apparently, the dragon had not lost its love of luxury. Only occasionally she could see burnt marks on the soft carpets and claws imprinted on the black wood of the shelving units.

Could it take on human form? If so, she would be more comfortable negotiating with him. If he could briefly become a gallant cavalier, they would have something to talk about.

Rhianon caught him studying the scrolls. She watched the beautiful emerald scales gleam in the candlelight for a long time. It seemed to emanate a myriad of sparkling sparks all by itself.

«I want…» She only stepped out of the shadows when he noticed her. Her tongue was barely audible and yet she tried to explain out loud, not mentally, what she was doing here. He did not listen, however. The wise glowing eyes were so perceptive. He stared at her intently for only a second, and then his clawed paw rose and beckoned her forward. The claws moved so confidently and gracefully, as if they were thin angelic fingers, not ugly claws. And for a moment Rhianon thought she saw a beautiful blond creature, not a beast as sparkling as a jewel. It beckoned her into a world of forbidden knowledge, and Rhianon was ready to enter it.

When the spirit had finally completed its task, she was already sitting in her bedroom, intoxicated by the knowledge she had gained. The sage dragon did not hesitate to agree to help her because he knew beforehand the power was on her side. He could foresee the future or his mind helped him utter prophecies. It didn’t matter to her, as long as he was on her side. Sometimes Rhianon saw a beautiful young man in his place, leaning over books. The vision usually lasted only a moment. It would seem strange to people. A richly dressed and handsome young man could not have been so keen on ancient scrolls, much less write them in someone else’s blood. Naturally, sorcery was involved.

Already going through the witch potions she had stolen from Rothbert, she kept remembering her interactions with the dragon. She enjoyed her time in his tower. Perhaps she would visit him often, especially since he didn’t mind.

«Why are you very late?» she scolded the spirit. He grumbled resentfully.

«You could have done it yourself.»

«I was busy elsewhere, you know. Did you get it all?» She didn’t seem to have too many bottles and jars. Now we’ll have to destroy it all. She couldn’t figure out how to use it all for her own purposes. Unless she could use magic to determine what was in which vial.

«You can tell it by the scent,» the spirit advised.

«What is it about here?» Rhianon gazed excitedly at the flasks, something fluttering inside.

«You should destroy them now, unless you want them to spread all over the castle. I warn you, one day, they’ll be able to break the glass. Look, they’re gaining strength already.»

Rhianon stared at the flask that was first in her hands. It looks like the spirit was right. Something green and large, with bulging eyes, was clawing at the glass. Soon the flask would be cramped. Rhianon, unable to stand her disgust, tossed the glass into the fireplace. The throw was accurate. The green creature from the shattered flask went straight into the flames, and most surprisingly in the fire it began to grow.

«Quick, move the screen!» She demanded of the spirit. Grunting and complaining, he hurried to carry out the orders.

«You shouldn’t do that, madam, they’re all easy to free.»

«I’ve seen Rothbert release them into the sewage. Did he do that as a child?»

«A villain from a young age is a villain,» said the spirit. «Humans, unlike us, it’s as if they were never innocent.»

«Neither were you. Only he was,» Rhianon remembered Madael. One of the chests the spirit had brought, bright gold, looked so much like a piece of his armor. She flung open the lid, but strangely enough the trapped creature was cute. Rhianon beckoned to it, and it jumped out onto the table, spreading its thin wings gracefully.

«It looked like a tiny dragon,» she remarked, peering at the pale gold skin and patterned tail. The expression on its face was a little treacherous, but it was cute all the same. «It looked like a toy made of gold. Cute,» she was already playing with him.»

«And this one is real,» the spirit commented. «But it’s still dangerous to keep him. He may soon grow noticeably in size.»

«I’ll keep this one, anyway,» Rhianon watched as her new pet sat down on an open book she had just borrowed from the dragon’s tower, examining the symbols painted on it. The scent of an unfading rose also attracted him, and he pulled it toward him with his paw.

«What is about these?«The spirit asked about the flasks.

«Throw them down into the chasm. Destroy them. You’ve got to think with your head for once.»

After muttering something incomprehensible, the spirit obeyed. The flasks were gone, so he must have taken them to the abyss or somewhere else. The main thing was not in some water channel, where they could grow in peace. Rhianon had not had time to warn him of that, and now she had only to rely on his ingenuity.

She was distracted by playing with her new pet. It was no bigger than a kitten, but it was beautiful. She had never imagined that a dragon could be so petite and so beautiful. It was as if it had been cast in pure gold and brought to life by magic. Its eyes sparkled like two aquamarines. The patterned wings twitched. The claws, too, were gold. And the hide reflected the moonlight. Not a monster, but a toy. She was glad she had stolen it and let it go.

«You are priceless, little one,» she whispered, handing him a ribbon of her hair to play with. Despite his size, however, he proved surprisingly clever. Instead of playing the silly, helpless kitten, he studied the book and gathered glittering objects from the table to form his own little treasure chest. He, too, is beckoned by gems. So let him keep what he finds for himself.

«Will you have somebody like him?» The spirit who had just returned asked nonchalantly. How could he have made it through the task so quickly? Rhianon shuddered in surprise.

«I hope you brought them far from the castle, didn’t you?» She teased him.

«They’re at the bottom of a chasm a long way from here, milady. And you have no intention of parting with the golden toy, have you?»

«Don’t touch it,» Rhianon said, shielding her pet.

«Tell that to sir Vivian,» snorted the spirit.»

«Don’t worry. He won’t come into my chambers.»

«But the little dragon might slip out.»

«I’ll keep an eye on him,» Rhianon promised.

«It’s difficult. He’s restless. What if someone sees him?»

Rhianon was about to say that if she was to have a lover, it would be an angel, not a man, but she remembered Ferdinand. Though he was the least of her worries, he would mistake her new pet, like the harpy, for a charming overseas beast recently imported by merchants from distant lands. In general, he would be able to find a reasonable explanation for everything.

«Would you like to give birth to one?» The spirit’s ominous whisper above her ear sent a chill down her spine.

«Leave me alone,» she commanded.

«But it can be so soon,» he kept repeating himself. «You will give birth to a dragon, beautiful and golden. Gold is his father’s color. The moment it comes into the world, Madael’s watch will chime, and he will know.»

«Don’t you dare to speak his name. You mustn’t.»

«I know.» He snapped back. «But I’ve already broken every possible rule for you. There’s nothing left to do now.»

«Is it for me?» She looked incredulous. «Who am I to tell you that you have to do anything for me? You didn’t even see me before I came to Vinor. You were sitting here all alone, waiting for someone to pick on, and I was the only one who showed up. That’s all.»

«You’re shortsighted.»

«And you’re a bad kiss-ass. You can’t convince me that you were in love with me long before you saw me.»

«Considering what you look like, none of us can help falling in love with you. You’re the kind of girl you can see from a distance. And it hurts to look at you, if you must know. It hurts to be far away from you, and you won’t let me be near you.»

«I think it’s because of the baby,» she tried to comfort him. «If he really is his father’s son, he is your future lord. You see him in me, and your instinct to serve is working. You see it as love for me, but when Edwin is born, it will be different.»

Edwin! This is the first time she has uttered his name. Rhianon had already promised the spirits that she would call him that. What is so magical about that name? And why did she think she would not give birth to a monster? After all, the invisible interlocutor had already informed her that she would give birth to a dragon. Why, then, does she need a special name to make it unavailable to his father. All dragons are subjects to Madael anyway. And yet it seemed to Rhianon that now, by naming him out loud, she had stirred up something unforeseen. It was as if she had deliberately made a comment to inform his immortal father that Edwin existed. Madael has a right to know that he is about to have a son. Yet he does not know this. Perhaps he has no idea. The name, like a spell, must hide the truth from him. But it’s not like he flew here in anger to demand his child back, so the spirits haven’t lied. He could still be, though. He can assert his rights to the child, and then really be war. Or rather, war will not change anything; the duel must be between her and him. Rhianon prepared herself for that. Madael’s son would be prince of Vinor, no one would ever know the truth. You can’t pass off a monster as Ferdinand’s child anymore. And a boy, even handsome as an angel, could pass for a brother of Florian and Claude. They need a younger brother, don’t they? Perhaps in the future some disease will take the lives of the older princes and Edwin will be king. Rhianon stared at her own fingernails with exaggerated attention. It wasn’t fair, but Setius was in the castle, after all. He could have brought the vibe of the very creepy contagion that roamed beneath Madeel’s tower here. And if he didn’t bring it in now, he might bring it in later, she might ask him to, if he didn’t figure it out himself. All of them cursed and beautiful are themselves interested in their lord’s son being first in everything.

Rhianon watched the miniature dragon on her desk. He was perched on the pages of an open book, and a fragrant rose now lay beside him, along with several other precious ornaments, which he scrutinized. He must have been cramped and uncomfortable in the box where he had been locked up, for now, free, he was wrinkling painfully and kneading his stiff claws.

He was very handsome. Rhianon admired him as if he were a rare jewel. It was a gift she had never dreamed of receiving. It would be good if, contrary to the spirit’s warning, it did not grow, but remained as diminutive as an expensive toy. Then it would be possible to spoil it, to give it jewelry, and to put it to sleep on a velvet pillow. She wanted a pet like that, and he, despite all his dexterity and laudable agility, was in no hurry to get away from her.

Rhianon took the brooch out of the box and held it out to him, to which the little dragon reacted with great joy. He was real, or he wouldn’t be so fond of jewelry. Rhianon had noticed that he wasn’t interested in just any object, only the purest stones and trinkets of gold.

«So you are still in the power of your former master,» she gently caressed his golden-tipped head, combed and feathered with sharp ears. The little dragon obviously did not understand her, but his claws slid enchantingly over the gold, so reminiscent of Dennitsa, almost forgotten but still unconsciously and warmly loved. To Rhianon herself, too, he reached out as if he had known her for a long time. She even laughed at the warnings of her invisible companion.

«Well, my little one, if you believe him you will soon have a brother like you in every way,» she stroked the golden head, which was nice and warm, and laughed merrily. «Then you will not only share the contents of my boxes. You will also have to fight over Ferdinand’s crown.»

She figured the little dragon wouldn’t mind snatching the glittering crown from her head even now. She would lend the crown to him for a while. She was even curious to see how, for its tiny size, it would manage to try it on. The suddenly and long silent spirit apparently disapproved of her jokes. Rhianon didn’t care. Let him keep his mouth shut; if he was dissatisfied or jealous of something, that was his problem. She watched as the little dragon greedily gathered jewels from the table and laughed. In the same way she was going to take treasure from her enemies.

More than revenge

It was heavenly strife. It was the deafening noise of wings beating against each other. It was the scratching of claws against thin angel skin. Shouts and accusations like a bird’s cackle. It was the dazzling gleam of swords. He was already nearly blinded once when he looked at Dennitsa. He dared to swing his sword at him, and now his hand was withering and worms were crawling in it. But the ruthless and beautiful angel still continued to beckon him through sleep.

Bertrand awoke in a cold sweat. He was still alive, and that was his greatest misfortune. It had been better to have died long ago. Then, on the battlefield, he had not yet understood that his happiness was to put his chest to the blow, not to repel it.

Until now, in the darkness of his bedroom, he had seen the battlefield illuminated by an unnaturally bright light. It was neither sunrise nor sunset. The light was not coming from the sun at all, though at that moment it seemed that the fiery ball of sun had become unnaturally close to the ground. In fact, the sun had disappeared behind the clouds; it was not in the sky. But the helmet fell from the unknown warrior’s head for a moment, and the glow became unbearable, so much so that it hurt his eyes. Even the tears that seeped from his eye sockets could have turned fiery in that moment. Bertrand could still feel the burning in his eyeballs. His vision was much worse than before, but that wasn’t what was most frightening. He seemed to be losing his mind, slowly and painfully. The longer he lived, the clearer the picture of a brutal overhead massacre overlapped with reality. And each time it became more terrifying.

He told the servants to leave a bowl of cold water and a wet towel beside his bed, but even ice would not bring down his fever. His shriveled hand burned as if it had been placed in an oven and roasted over hot coals. The healer, who tried in vain to conceal his own fright, bandaged it tightly, but the ugly growths were showing through even the bandages. They seemed to be diseased and living on their own, and there were worms in them, so disgusting they were not even in the grave earth. Maybe they weren’t worms at all. Bertrand almost screamed when he suddenly noticed that some disgusting creature that looked like a big rat had come up to the bandaged stump and was trying to gnaw at the growths.

He had been wary of rousing the servants who guarded the closed doors with their shouts. He did not want the vassals or the peasants to know what had happened to their feudal lord. Rumors were already rife in the surrounding villages. When the nobles talk of the devil it is even worth fearing an attack on the castle. In addition, the healer, no matter how well paid, must have told someone about the horror he saw. And they, in turn, told others. Another day or two and there would be a riot. But much scarier were the dreams. The creature that glowed beneath his armor by itself and beckoned him to the precipice, across the field where the massacre was taking place, became something secret, hidden and unspeakably cruel. No one was allowed to speak of it, his tongue would not obey, it was scary to see it in his dreams, but it was scary not to see it either.

The withered hand, with its living thorny growths, reacted to the thought of Dennitsa with unceasing flashes of pain. Bertrand could no longer move the arm, as if it didn’t exist at all, but the withered ashy creature it had become seemed to live on its own. It parasitized the weakened body, threatening to devour it like a fungus.