Dragon Born: Book I of the Tendaaren Chronicles
Chapter 30: Who Rescued Who

Cameron grumbled angrily. He begrudgingly packed his precious few personal belongings into his tattered sacks. He hid in the back of the cave as his ‘friends’, in a bold and futile effort, strategized their next move. He knew how it would end. History always repeats itself.

He caught Eleanor, he corrected himself. Alyenna watching him furtively. Her multifaceted eyes analyzed his movements and the lines on her face were laced with pity. The dragon’s egg was nestled protectively in her arms.

He did not need or want pity he wanted peace. “Why?” He muttered angrily under his breath. The rest of the question kept changing but the heart of the question was always ‘why?’ Why must he be the only one to see this world for what it is? Why was mother Gaia so cruel to his heart? Why was she here? Why could they not just let him be?

A heavy slap landed hard on his shoulder he found Celeste’s wide and emerald eyes boring into his thoughts. “Hey grumpy, ya almost done moping around this frigid cave so we can push forward.”

“You are all fools,” Cameron growled at her.

“Maybe,” She said smiling broadly. “Better to be a fool on a mission, than a wise man who watches the world pass them by.” She leveled her gaze at him. “History does not remember cowards. It is the brave fools who force progress when all others are too afraid to try.” Her red hair fell gently into her face.

Celeste got the best of him. She always did. “I missed you, you crazy ginger!”

Celeste tightened her sword belt over her shoulder. “Back at ya, we were missin’ our favorite party pooper!”

Cameron smiled and followed his favorite red headed dragon warrior out of the mouth of the cave. He slung his saddle over a large black warhorse, who had been his only steady companion for years. It nickered at him excitedly. It could sense that his purpose was finally at hand. Cameron easily lifted his heavily armored self into the saddle, and turned one last time, to look at his home. “Please be here when I get back.“He whispered to the wind.

It was Baellnar who answered him. “This cave is far more stubborn than you, it will probably have moved on and found a whole new hermit by the time you finally drag your sorry arse back here.” He smiled at him jovially. “Now stop sulking and go save the kingdom!”

Cameron answered him with an open eye roll but he smiled. Their enthusiasm was rubbing off on him.

“Ya!” Celeste roared and they galloped forward. The power of his horse thundered beneath him. He expertly dodged the hazards of the terrain. It took barely an hour for them to reach the bottom of the mountain. The world around them was greener and warmer. He had forgotten what warm wind felt like and his lungs steadily adjusted to the thicker air. A powerful headache split the place between his ears from the sudden pressure change.

“How you doin’ Cam?” Celeste inquired.

He shrugged in response. He felt his vision grow blurry and strained to remain upright. Nausea was creeping into his stomach and it was increasingly hard for him to catch his breath. He forced a smile at Celeste. “I am fine really.”

“You are such a stubborn fool, not admitting to pain does not make you stronger. It makes you-- stupid.” Celeste jumped off her horse and strode over to Cameron. She held her hand up to help him down from his horse. He shook her away and heaved his leg over the side of the saddle. He let go of the smooth saddle and tried to use his feet to catch himself. He failed. A dizzy spell overtook his efforts, and he found himself looking up at Celeste from the ground. She smiled broadly and extended her hand. “Told Ya! If we are going to be partners I need you to cooperate. Real warriors know when to lean on their partners, and when to support them. You are not on your own anymore. Deal with it.”

Celeste wandered off to the lake and bent down to fill her canteen with the fresh mountain water. The lake looked to be made of sapphire crystals. Its perfectly clean water was alluring and looked refreshing. Cameron tried to steady himself fancying a quick dip into the crystal lake, but something caught his eye. He blinked rapidly as a hoard of bubbles formed a path that began to wind its way toward Celeste’s crouched and unaware form. A mysterious song reverberated around the clearing, and the water danced and frothed with the song’s energy.

“Celeste watch out!” Cameron shrieked. He wobbled haphazardly as he tried to launch himself onto his feet. He was desperate to pull her away from the lake bed. Away from whatever was hunting her. Celeste did not hear him as he half crawled half ran to her. He seized her shoulder pulling her back. Then found himself once again on the ground staring up at red-headed ferocity.

“What in a putrid dragon’s fart is your problem Cam!” She shouted at him as she lay awkwardly sprawled on the ground. She folded herself together and glared. Her hands on her hips. “I at least expect dinner and a bard before you get all grabby!”

Cameron flushed. His eyes scanned the water again, but found was nothing. No song, no bubbles, not even a fish breaching the surface. “Sorry,” he mumbled. Inwardly as he cursed himself for the illusions that came with elevation sickness. He blushed,“I thought I saw something.”

She brushed herself off with a look of annoyance and she gestured at the lake. “That there is called a lake. I know it’s been a while since you left your cave, but you need to relax. Especially since we will be crossing it, tomorrow.” She pointed ahead of them. “Straight ahead is a port town. We will spend the night there resting and gathering supplies. In the morning we cross. It will be the last warm bed and bath we see for a while, so I plan on taking advantage of it.” She slung her bag over her shoulder and strode over to the horses.

Celeste helped him up on his horse. He felt his eyes repeatedly scan the water. Each time only natural peace of the area and expansive body of water answered him. “Why was this thing never named as an ocean?” He mused out loud.

Celeste took a hearty gulp of her freshly filled canteen. “Because we can actually drink the water!” She was clearly enjoying the sweet and refreshing liquid that had just touched her scarlet lips.

Cameron was not used to having a person answer him. His mouth remained sealed for the rest of the ride. He settled himself for watching the back of Celeste’s head. Hypnotized by the rhythmic swaying of her luminous braid as they trotted along the water’s edge. His mind wandered back to the first time he and Baellnar met Celeste.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~Once upon a Time~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cameron looked up from his books as a door slammed hard shaking a couple items from their less than stable perches. I finally found her! He raised a studious eyebrow at his adoptive brother. “Found who?”

“Her! I found her!” Baellnar groaned at Cameron’s bewilderment. “I found my half-sister!”

Cameron launched himself from his seat and embraced Baellnar with enthusiasm. He slapped his back in excitement, “Where is she?”

Baellnar’s smile of triumph waivered. “Here, she is here in town!”

Cameron knew his brother for a long time. He understood him deeply. While they were not born of the same blood-line, they had shared too much. From childhood games of cat and mouse to fierce battles of war they had been side by side since either of them could remember. Cameron watched his ‘brother’s’ eyes in suspicion. He took note of his forced smile. “What is wrong?”

“She is challenging Goranth, they fight to the death tomorrow.” Baellnar’s skin was more ghostly pale than normal and he was sweating. I finally found her, and now, I will never know her.”

Cameron’s heart sunk. He bit his lip. Baellnar looked as if he was fighting back tears. He had been tracing his real family for years. Ever since he had been old enough to realize magic and elvish ears did not run in the family. His search had led to nothing but tragedy. Celeste had been his last hope of connecting with his family, and tomorrow she would be lost. No human hybrid could defeat Goranth. He was built of stone with demon blood fueling his heart and hardening his skin.

“Why, in gaia’s great green earth, did she challenge Goranth?” Cameron asked with exasperatedly.

“From what I found, the reward is her freedom.” Baellnar said collapsing into a chair his head facing the floor his fingers laced tightly into his silver hair.

Cameron looked around his family’s home. His eyes scanned the gold laced items and precious first editions. He was struck abruptly with altruistic idea. “What if we buy her freedom?”

“I cannot ask you to do that,” Baellnar mumbled his eyes never leaving the floor.

“You do not have to,” Cameron whispered, “She is family.”

Baellnar looked up at him his eyes swirled with new hope. “I would owe you my life.”

“You would owe me nothing, and neither would she.” He got up and gulped down his whiskey, “Sounds like we have a damsel in distress to save. Us boring human types live for this kind of thing. Besides Eleanor would kill me if I do not help.” He chuckled.

Baellnar laughed lightly, “I can only imagine!”

Cameron and Baellnar found themselves in front of the Arena. They faced a large poster that featured a ferocious looking fire-haired woman in a dazzling silver breastplate and mail skirt, facing her was the infamous Goranth. His red demonic eyes were framed by his dark and grey plated skin. Blood poured from his fangs and a pair of deadly horns protruded from his skull.

COME ONE COME ALL

SEE THE UNDEFEATED GORATH

VS.

THE UNDEFEATED LIVING FLAME

BATTLE TO THE DEATH

It’s Good vs. Evil

And we have a front row seat waiting for you.

Cameron pulled Baellnar with him to the front of the ticket line. “We need to see the Ring Leader.”

The clerk angrily gestured at the sign, “do you think he has time for a knife-ear and a coward?”

Cameron felt his hands ball up into tight fists. His post-traumatic stress symptoms had unfortunately made several public performances and despite being a large city, it bolstered a culture full of small-town gossip. That gossip had gotten him a one way ticket away from the front lines and even further away from Eleanor. The love of his life. It was so much so that he was taken out of the front lines, the love of his life continued forward into battle. It was not his fault he had been held prisoner, but only Baellnar and Eleanor perceived it that way.

“He may not have time for us,” Cameron said leaning over the counter deepening his voice. “Only a fool would not have time for this.” He dropped a heavy bag of coins on the counter. “Now call Mr. Garrison, I wish to pair a fool with some money.” The clerk’s eyes went wide and he signaled for them to follow him. He nervously shuffled through the back halls of the arena. They could hear groans of agony as wounds were treated and the screams of skirmishes as the hoard of sweaty deplorable scrabbled for their place in the spotlights of fame.

Cameron tried to block out the cries. His mind already racing with the sounds and images of his men dying in front of him. He shivered and Baellnar tried to smile at him reassuringly, and then the sounds disappeared. The hallways echoed in a pleasant silence. Cameron smiled, as always Baellnar hid his care. Only one man could turn chaos to silence, and he never said a word about it to anyone.

The arrived in front of a lavish pair of oak doors. Gold leafing decorated the images that came to life before them. Baellnar smiled, rich people loved enchanted knick-knacks. They were lead to a lavish office lined with carved mahogany and rich velvet tapestries. Each tapestry depicted graphic images of anguished figures in various stages of dismemberment. Cameron averted his eyes, protecting himself from the inevitable. Baellnar’s hand squeezed his shoulder. Cameron forced a smile. Even he could not save Cameron from everything.

After a long Cameron heard the somber words,“Thank you, brother.”

Cameron spotted the same poster in the office that had been in the front of the arena. A pair of painted exotic emerald eyes bore into his soul. Up close he was able to see underneath her crown of silver and fire, it was in that moment that he could see it. The same jawline and elegant eyes. The same gentle slant to her ears. Her hair may be human, but her beauty was all elven. He shamed his heart, as it skipped a beat, it thundered as he caught sight of her eyes the revealed deeper feelings within him that he could ever admit to himself.

“What do you want?” Said a burly man with a dramatic mustache. He slammed the door behind him followed by a plume of sweet smoke.

Cameron started feeling lightheaded just being within the cloud of smoke from the herb tied tightly between his fingers. He forced his mind to clear, “turns out you have something I need. Her name is Celeste. My associate and I are willing to pay.” He dropped the heavy sack of coins on the desk in front of him.

The man laughed and threw the coins back at him. “That match tomorrow is going to make me more than you could even dream. For the publicity alone this is merely a down payment. “Get out,” he snagged the bag of coins and threw two tickets at them. “The V.I.P. package--you’re welcome.”