Kaydran

777 RC, Dragon moon 2nd Ttriface; Refugee camp, Southeastern Kavah.

Freshly scrubbed, Kaydran stood in line waiting for his turn to be presented to the Dragon Rider who had flown over the camp the day before. Before dawn they had been ousted from their beds, every boy and girl between the ages of 10 and 14 was forced to wash and get in line to see the Dragon Rider. Kaydran was thankful he knew most of the people on wash detail, so he hadn’t been scrubbed nearly as harshly as everyone else. The line moved forward two or three shuffling steps at a time. They wound back from the small knoll in the center of camp, through the thousands of tents, several thousand children at the very least Kaydran estimated. Sweat had started to soak his shirt making him chuckle at the uselessness of having everyone wash first thing in the morning before making them stand in line for hours in the sun. He glanced up at the cloudless sky estimating the time of day at around noon.

Kaydran dug in his pocket and was thankful that he made it a habit to always save some food in case they were forced to march on short notice. Stale bread and dried fish was better than nothing even if they didn’t get anything to drink. He nudged the girl in front of him, someone he hadn’t met yet in camp, she had huge dark eyes and glossy black hair that had been curly when they got in line but now was drying out into a frizzy mess. She studied him warily, her mistrust arrowed straight to Kaydran’s heart, but at his encouraging smile coaxed her into accepting a portion of his hoarded food. As he ate and slowly moved forward he kept trying to peer around the rows of tents that the line zigzagged down, desperate for a glimpse of the huge dragon that was supposed to be resting on the top of the knoll. After an agonizing half hour Kaydran Finally got his glimpse of the knoll but no dragon lounged comfortably on the small hill. Next to the camp Commanders tent a awning had been erected over a single table. At the table a brightly dressed man sat, the camp Commander stood stiffly beside him not looking pleased.

Kaydran deflated in disappointment, he had wanted to see something magically for once. Something, someone, anything, that could lift everyone’s spirits spur them into making today better than the one before it, make them look forward to the next day. Eunice had once told him that yesterday was past, the future was unknown, but today was the present and was a gift that had to be enjoyed. But that had been years ago, before they had been forced out of town after town, country after country, a nation with no land, a people with no home. He trudged forward with the line his dark thoughts distracted as he planned the deliveries he would have to hurry to complete with half the day gone. Zatch stumbled as he finally made it to the base of the hill and bumped into the girl in front of him, she had stopped short suddenly. All around him he heard the hiss of indrawn breaths, like snakes reading to strike. Silence fell and his head snapped up.

From the base of the hill a gargantuan head was rising up, and up, and up into the sky it soared, to tower above the entire camp at least 50 feet of neck held the great horned head above the stunned crowd. Kaydran’s eyes drank in every detail like a man dying of thirst taking his first sip of life giving water.

Scales protected the dragon, like those of a horned lizard sharp and menacing, they covered the back of its neck right up to the long crest of spikes that ran from its head the full length of its body and tail. Smoother scales like those of a snake ran underneath the beast’s neck and belly. The smaller scales there glistened, the colour and texture of a well oiled sword. The proud head turned slowly to regard them, its nostrils flared, and then the head lowered swiftly in Kaydran’s direction. All around him children gasped and flattened themselves to the ground.

But Kaydran stood entranced as the mighty beast stood. Its legs lifting its massive body soundlessly until the tents barely brushed its belly. With the greatest care it spread its wings, shading all of the children from the sun, and flapped its wings once gently fanning them all. The temperature dropped after a few such flaps. Kaydran sighed gratefully, his legs seemed to move of their own accord as he got out of line and approached the wagon sized head that was hovering an arm’s length out of reach.

“Thank you.” He said to the Dragon as he took his one chance to get a closer look at the scales on its proud face. Eyes the size of dinner plates crinkled in the corners, which if it had been a human, would have been the beginnings of a smile. Kaydran was sized roughly by the shoulder and spun around to face the man from the table. Kaydran saw that he was dressed smartly in some kind of red military uniform edged in black. He studied Kaydran’s eyes intently as a spark of what felt like static passed between them.

“There you are!” He said smiling widely, “we have been looking all over for you.”

“You, you have?” Kaydran stuttered out, “Why? I don’t even know who you are.”

“I’m Charel, that great lump hovering over your shoulder is Grald, we were sent out from the Heartwood to find children to bring back to be riders. Grald sensed you here and we flew over to investigate.” Charel said as if that simple statement explained everything. He turned back to the camp Commander still holding firmly onto Kaydran. Kaydran suddenly felt that without the steady hand on his shoulder he would simply float away, or fall to the ground one of the two.

“We found him, get the rest of these kids out of the sun and some food.” Charel ordered. Kaydran’s mouth hung open in astonishment at someone ordering the most powerful military Commander-in their temporary nation-around like a lowly servant. The Commanders teeth ground together as he nodded curtly, then turned on his heel and stalked off shouting orders as he went.

“Well, now that’s finished grab your things, we gotta hurry. Um what was your name?” Charel asked leading Kaydran over to the table he had been sitting at he grabbed a huge leather saddle that three people could easily sit on, he tossed it through the air to land ten feet above them between two of Grald’s back spikes.

“Kaydran,” He said dazed, “what do you mean grab my things?”

“Grab whatever you want to bring with you to the Rider’s University where you’re going to become a Rider. Grald’s certain you’ll be a Dragon Rider and I bet him you’d get an Iron Dragon egg just like I did.” Charel said speaking rapidly as he tightened the buckles that secured the saddle to Grald’s scaly back.

“But you won’t need much since all your clothes and food will be given to you once we get there.” Charel said smiling at Kaydran’s shocked look. He continued adjusting the saddle as Kaydran looked on in wonder.

“Grald came from an egg about the size of that basket over there if you can believe it.” Charel said pointing to a basket the size of an overripe watermelon. Kaydran’s head spun as he tried to take in all of this. He looked around desperately and saw the girl who had been standing in front of him in line. She was watching him and could probably hear everything that Charel said, since he gave no thought to keeping his voice down. He met her eyes and saw the spark of hope in them slowly faded and die. He nearly lost his meager meal at the disappointment he saw all around him as those close enough to hear realized what they had lost the chance to be.

“Wait,” Kaydran said to Charel’s back. “Wait! I can’t leave yet.” Kaydran shouted. Charel stopped talking, he had been absently going on about the hundreds of miles they had to cover in the next week to make it back in time. He spun around to look at Kaydran surprised.

“I can’t just pack up and leave I have things I have to do before I can go. I need at least a day or two to get all of my responsibilities taken care of.” Kaydran said.

**********************************************

Charel gaped at him, what could a twelve year old possible have to do that was more important than going to become a Dragon Rider?

“Alright.” Charel said slowly trying to wrap his head around this sudden turn of events. Grald swung his head down to study Kaydran more closely.

Grald asked silently in Charel’s mind through their mental bond.

Charel thought back. Grald nodded his head once agreeing with him Kaydran looked between the silent Rider and his Dragon who had their heads close together as they both looked at him intensely.

“We can give you a day if Grald pushes himself we can still make it the 700 miles back to the Heartwood before it’s too late.” Charel said. Kaydran smiled gratefully and jogged off without a backward glance. Mystified Charel followed closely as Kaydran wove expertly between the tents and wagons of the sprawling camp. Charel’s unaccustomed nose ran at the foul smell of too many bodies packed to closely together and untreated human waste that was barely contained in hastily erected outhouses. Kaydran slid into long low tent that Charel had to stoop to fit inside. 50 child sized cots ran down the length of the sweltering tent. Kaydran went to the one had to be his and started stripping it down to the thin mattress and wooden frame.

Charel felt Grald slide into his mind so he could share his eyes, and they could both see what Kaydran was doing. They watched in silence through Charel’s eyes as Kaydran stripped off two well made blankets and a pillow. Then he knocked one of the legs off the cot revealing a hollowed out space that he carefully pulled a small money purse out of. This had only taken a few second, and Charel looked questioningly at Kaydran who blushed.

“I have to drop this stuff off with a few people, and pick up a few things.” Kaydran explained hastily. Charel nodded and held the tent flap open so Kaydran could lead the way. Kaydran fixed the leg back onto the cot and grabbed his small pile of spare clothes from under mattress. Kaydran dashed off again word was spreading like wildfire through the camp around them as Charel followed his new charge through the maze of tents. Kaydran lead them to a small market selling mostly rags and other patched clothing. He quickly sold his meager clothes not bothering to haggle with a man who obviously knew him well, before selling his well made bedding and even his small pack that he emptied into his shirt before handing over.

Astounded Charel and Grald watch as Kaydran battered away all of his worldly possessions for coppers, and more oddly, medical plants. Finally his pockets weighted down with copper Thorns and his arms full of medical supplies Kaydran made his way more slowly to the youngsters tent. Saying nothing Charel followed, as the boy handed out medicine and money to nearly everyone he passed. He took a moment to hand over the last of his money to a girl barely older than he was. She couldn’t be more than 15 Charel thought hanging back politely as they talked softly and she gave Kaydran a tight yet sisterly hug.

Charel thought at his partner. A deep feeling was churning inside of him as he watched the boy with nothing but the clothes on his back, smile hugely as he gave away everything of value he had obviously spent months, if not years acquiring. He felt Grald’s humble nod as his Dragon silently covered his eyes with his wing as if hiding his face from the eager eyes of the poor wretches trapped in the camp.

The feeling of shame burst fully into Charel’s mind as he realized that this one child who had less than nothing, not even a home to call his own, gave away more than he had ever given to anyone in his whole magically long life. As Kaydran talked with a guard who kept glancing nervously at Charel, his eyes stung in shame. Charel cleared his throat roughly a few times until he was sure that he could speak.

“Kaydran, I have to see to some things with Grald,” At Kaydran’s panicked look he smiled reassuringly and shook his head. “You take your time, just come to the hill when you’re done doing what you need to do.” Kaydran nodded and dashed off again heading to a pillar of steam rising from a small depression a few hundred yards away.

Mouth set in a grim line Charel stalked through the camp, he gathered every guard he saw on the way beckoning them over and ordering them to form up and follow him. By the time he had made it back to knoll the Commander's tent sat on, the runners he had order to call in the rest of the guards had returned. The rest of the military men from the borders of the sprawling camp struggled to form up into the precise squares that their fellows where standing in. Grald had risen to sit sphinx like staring down at them a few of the men actually quaked in their boots.

“What is the meaning of this Dragon Rider?” The Commander demanded as Charel marched up to his tent for the second time that day.

“Come here.” He demanded pulling the older looking man over to the edge of the wooden platform his ornate command tent had been erected on.

“What do you see here?” Charel said gesturing to the untidy sprawl of the camp stretching out behind the neat orderly lines of the army’s tents.

“Nothing except for the freeloaders we have been keeping fed and clothed for nearly three Triphases!” The Commander said jerking his arm out of Charel’s grasp.

“Wrong! These people have managed to do something that I have not seen in over a hundred years of selfishly riding these skies! From this untidy sprawl you have let grow here, has sprung a seed of selflessness that is humbling to behold. Down there even as we speak a boy with less than nothing is busily giving away everything he has ever owned! down to the last copper Thorn!” Charel shouted his face inches from the Commanders, His disgust with himself snapping out at the first target it could latch onto.

“Where is the King who is responsible for these lands?” Charel said his words falling from his lips like hailstones, cold and punishing. So cold was his fury at the light had been cast on his wasted life that he took grim satisfaction as the colour drained from the Commanders face.

“you, you can not be serious!” the king is at his home in the capital. Surely this is not worth his attention, he gave these people hundreds of Fangs worth of food and shelter out of the goodness of his heart.” The commander stuttered out.

“Good that will simplify things. Grald will bring him here to see this first hand.

“Who do you think you are to summon a king at your whim?” demanded the Commander.

“A Dragon Rider, now Fetch me some parchment and a quill.” He said dismissively to the Commander. Charel pulled an needle thin silver whistle out of his pocket and blew into with all of his might, stray dogs within earshot howled in protest at the sound that the humans couldn’t hear.

After a few notes a small shadow darted out of the sky. It plummeted from the sun like a striking falcon and flapped to a halt on Charel’s outstretched arm. Charel stroked the small Drake absently as he waited for writing materials.

The small cousin of his Dragon was beautiful to behold. About the same size as a barn owl, the flying lizard had little else in common with birds. Unlike dragons, drakes only had four limbs, two bat like wings and a pair of powerful back legs to launch them into the sky from the ground, whereas dragons had six limbs. Charel snatched the parchment he was given, and scrawled a hasty letter to the Headmaster.

Sir, I have been shamed by the generosity exhibited by one of the unfortunate parentless children Grald and I have found on search. I will explain when we get back. You can meet the child for yourself, but for now I need you to send the 10,000 Gold Fangs I left in your keeping to me here as fast as the fastest wings can carry it!

-Charel

Charel rolled the message up tightly and slid it into the small scroll tube affixed to his drake Mackerel, he had named him that because he was a blue drake-one of the larger breeds- but his scales had a molted green colour that had reminded him of the scales of a mackerel he used to catch when he was a boy. Next he addressed a letter to the King of Kavah, I formal summons he demanded the King's presence, as what he had planned would require the Kings hand to ratify and make legal. He gave the neatly written summons to Grald.

Charel thought to his partner, Grald who had know him for so long understood the urgency better than words could have conveyed. The a single flap of his sail like wings Grald took to the air following his smaller cousin out of sight as he gained altitude.

“The king should be here before Moonrise, I suggest you get your men to make this place more presentable before then. I need a map of the area, mine is out of date.” Charel went into the command tent without waiting to see what effect his words created behind him.

Kaydran finished showing Tylar how to use the pig to hunt for truffles in the sparsely wooded hillside on the far side of camp, his back was killing him and his feet where raw. Blisters had formed from hurrying around making sure when he left, the people who relied on him to move goods around the camp would have others to pick up where he had left off. Tylar was the last one he had to see too, but now Tylar was headed back to his mother's tent the proud owner of a fist sized black truffle and a spoiled rotten piglet. Kaydran’s body felt heavy, but his heart was lighter than he could remember it being in years. Tired, but happy, he headed back towards the center of the camp to meet Charel and Grald thankful that he wouldn’t have to ask them for another day to set his affairs in order. The camp had undergone a startling transformation in the few hours he had been gone. All of the trash had been removed, the latrines had been covered over and soldiers worked furiously digging new ones further away from the eating and cooking areas. Which was odd since they usually left that kind of labor to the member of the camp. But he was far too tired to care, he wanted nothing more than to curl up as near as he could manage to Grald and rest.

He stepped out of the last row of tents into a frantic swarm of soldiers cleaning and polishing bits of their uniforms. Kaydran dodged unnoticed through the crowd as he made his way to The Table Charel was busily studying a map on. Torches had been lit and stuck in the ground as the sun faded and the red moon rose from the horizon.

“Charel?” Kaydran asked with uncertainty.

“Oh, Kaydran, everything taken care of?” Charel asked smiling at him, Kaydran nodded hesitantly back at his question.

“What’s going on?” He asked, as below them soldiers started forming up in neat military squares in front of the Charel’s table.

“Oh, the king is coming, Grald went to pick him up they should be landing any second now.” Charel said drawing a small circle on the map next to a river. He stood up and moved to look up at the night sky, Kaydran followed him and looked up at the star studded black velvet curtain that had fallen from horizon to horizon. Together they watched the blood red disk of the Dragon Moon rise high into the sky. It stained the land with its crimson light, some would find it eerie, how everything was rendered in shades of red and harsh black shadows. The stars overhead where blotted from sight as Grald finally appeared. Kaydran braced himself Grald beat at the air with his huge wings. The wind blew out all of the torches and made anyone not braced for it stumble. Charel waved his hand and muttered a word and the doused torches all sprang back to life. Kaydran flinched surprised. He had forgotten about the magical powers the Riders were supposed to have.

Charel bent down on one knee as the soldiers scrambled to help their Lord and his advisors off the Dragon so he could speak softly enough so only Kaydran could hear.. “Kaydran, I’ll probably be up half the night with his Royalness over there.” Charel said rolling his eyes and making Kaydran laugh despite himself. Grald settled back onto the ground around the knoll disturbingly silent on his massive talons.

“You should get some sleep, you can use my bedroll, I set it out over by Grald’s head, thank the First Rider he doesn’t snore, I heard once about this Silver Dragon that snored like an avalanche and coated the area around him with his freezing breath every night!” Charel told him smiling at the memory, he began to tell another story but was interrupted by the approaching King. Kaydran beat a hasty retreat to avoid any notice of the disgruntled looking ruler.

Charel joined the camp Commander and the King and the three of them went into the command tent. Excitement burned through him as he hurried over to where Grald was settling his head in for the night. Again Kaydran was astounded at how he felt no fear in the presence of something that if it yawned he could walk into its mouth barely having to duck his head. In the flickering torch light Grald looked like he was made of molten metal, the red moonlight streaming down from the cloudless night sky, only added to the image. Grald watched him approach with one slit pupil eye. Again Kaydran was given the distinct impression that the Dragon was smiling at him in a friendly way. He should have been running away screaming a small nagging portion of his mind insisted. Instead he plopped down on the thick cushion Charel had laid out for him and moved the pillow so it was propping him up. He desperately wanted to touch the smooth scales of Grald’s chin and nose but he was pretty sure it would be considered very rude. So he sat on his hands, Grald startled him by blowing out a huff of air that created a small tornado of dust as he lifted his head slightly and moved it closer to get a better look at Kaydran. Silently they started at each other and lost all sense of time in their studies. Finally Kaydran broke eye contact and slowly stretched out his hand to touch the shining scales in front of him. Grald rolled his eyes and thrust his snout under Kaydran’s hand directing him to s hard to itch spot at the base of his eye horns. Kaydran laughed as Grald rolled his eyes and stuck the tip of his forked tongue out in dramatic bliss. The smooth scales of his face and underbelly felt just like snake, surprisingly dry, not moist or slimy at all. Kaydran flicked on and it rang out just like any piece of iron he had ever touched. Happily he scratched whatever hard to reach spot Grald directed him to.

Later that night Charel finally came back after securing his land grab with the king for all of his traveling money.

Charel thought to Grald as he pulled his boots off and lay down under the stars with his eyes closed.

Grald said affectionately, Kaydran had fallen asleep leaning against his neck.

Grald said gesturing with one wing tip to encompass the whole camp.

Charel said, tired but happy, with the land he had deeded to the refugees, and the money he had coming to secure them building materials. A little help from the army setting up the village, he figured the town would up and bustling within the next Triphase. He had made sure that the elders knew that it was Kaydran’s kind spirit that had inspired them to act, but he would tell the boy that when he was older. The elders where already talking about naming the village after Kaydran, Kayvalle or some such. Charel smiled. He liked the sound of that, sighing he drifted into sleep quickly, ready to get a little rest before their 700 mile journey home began in the morning.