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Invading Will

Chapter 11

By: D. C. Henry ("Ahndeleck")

Deanna woke, and felt reality's sudden cold shock. Quickly she sat up and gazed around the room to be sure nothing had brought her out of her nightmare. She relaxed slightly when she found no one else in the room, the nightmare itself had woken her. It had been a long time since she had the reoccurring nightmare of her parents' death.

In her dream she the murderers held a knife to her throat. They forced her to watch them slowly torture her family, and sometimes she would even have to watch them slowly torture herself as if she was another person. The ending was always the same; her own throat slit just like the rest of her family.

Whenever she had the dream she felt vulnerable and weak. Weakness was something she couldn't tolerate in her position, there were too many people relying on what she had to do. She had done everything she could think of to rid herself of the nightmares, but nothing seemed to work for her.

Deanna turned and stood out of her bed. She put on her clothes for the day and walked out of her room. The hallways felt brittle with silence, she was nearly always the first to wake in the tower. The only ones that would still be around would be the night guards, and few of them would be where she headed to calm her nerves.

She found nobody at the balconies when she arrived, which was how she preferred them. Cooler morning air greeted her when she walked through the heavy curtains and stepped out in the dim pastels of the morning. The mountain to the east still held the light blue-gray promise of a sunrise. Far below her, birds had begun to stir in the courtyard of the tower, but nearly everything else was still.

Looking over the still city below her, Deanna felt the weight of protecting the city, the whole nation, from its attackers. They slept right then, only because she fought so hard to make sure the nation's troubles never reached them. There would never be another family like hers while she stood over Freeraven.

She didn't want to be Freeraven's protector. Protecting the whole nation had been hard. Unconsciously she gripped the handle of her sheathed sword in her left hand and closed her eyes as memories of the people she'd killed came to her. She had grown tired of always being just someone that fought Freeraven's battles, there were times she wanted anything but what she had come to. As the familiar thought came to her, its conclusion did too, that her life had lead her to this fate and she couldn't escape it. The only escapes would be death, or the life of a lonely failure. Neither future appealed to her.

Deanna sighed heavily and opened her eyes to the sunrise again. She wouldn't let her feelings get in the way of her duty. Feelings like those only distracted you, and distractions could kill you. She needed to be alert now more than she'd ever had to be. She didn't trust Kyle, or anything Torland wanted to do. Her parents had fled the north, and she doubted that things could change the way Kyle had been saying as fast as he seemed to imply. Alan trusted him though, and Deanna would have to respect what her leader decided to do. She wouldn't agree, but she would help however she could.

The curtains behind her rustled slowly. Deanna turned her head and saw Alicia step onto the balcony. While she was dressed for the day, her hair lay tangled around her face, and sleep hung heavy on her eyes.

"Good morning Captain Woolsmith, I heard you might be up here."

"Morning, Alicia." Deanna turned back to the sunrise approaching.

"The sunrise is always wonderful to see isn't it?" Alicia said as she came to stand at the railing.

"They are when its peaceful enough. What is it that you want."

"Well, I heard that Raogothcar would be going into town today. Is that true?"

"Yes, he'll be going into the city. I've requested a pair of city guards to escort him through the whole day."

"Could I go with him, please ma'am?"

"Don't you have work to do around here?"

"I've already talked with Nanny about it and she'll give me the day to myself. She said I deserve one once in a while."

"Nice of her, but I still don't see why you'd need to go with him."

"I could show him around, help him find things if he gets lost."

"That's what the guards are for."

"What I mean," Alicia turned away from the mountains, with a hint of frustration, "is that I can take him to things he'd enjoy. The guards will only take him to what he asks for. I can take him to things that he'd enjoy, he wouldn't have to just wander the city lost for what to do. Please Miss Woolsmith."

Deanna tore her attention from the golden rim that was flowing over the edge of the mountain. Alicia looked desperate, her eyes begging. She couldn't see why she would want to drag the dragon around the city so much. The dragon was annoying, asked too many questions, and interrupted far too many things. If she was taking the dragon around, if there were problems, the matron could deal with the problems. She would have enough trouble to worry about during today's continuing of the council. They would come to some decisions, and she didn't need the distractions.

"Alright," she turned back to the sunrise, "you can go as well."

"Oh tank you Misses Woolsmith, thank you so very much!" Alicia clapped her hands together and sprang away from the railing, "I'll go get ready right away. I can't wait!"

Deanna heard her skipping across the expanse of the workshop inside towards the stairs. The rim of the sun broke through the top of the mountain, and light washed her face. She could still bring joy once in a while to people, it wasn't something she was used to doing. Silently, she wished she could feel like that once. It had been a long time since she had felt really happy.

*****

Raogothcar laid on his back surrounded by a pile of cushions. The excitement of getting to visit Ravenstone for the whole day had made it hard to sleep the night before, and woke him early. He dangled his legs in the air as he thought about what he should do in town. He would have to get some new circle paint since he had been running low even before he arrived in Freeraven. While he relished the idea of going to the different shops, he also wanted to watch the people even talk to some.

In the evening he had talked with Deanna about going back to his den to pick up most of his meager stash of money. When Deanna said that the tower would be buying what he wanted he nearly licked her on the face and danced back to his room. He remembered in time that she didn't like being touched.

With a half awake moan, Raogothcar pushed himself over with a wing to lay on his side, and then stood out of the mess of cushions. He stretched his neck and wings, then went to put his leather bag on for the day. With an entire day in the city, he was sure that he'd need the bag to carry things. He brought his journal with him to Ravenstone, but decided he wouldn't need it in town and let it on the small table in the room. He could write about his adventure in his journal when he returned, it was only going to be a single day in town.

Raogothcar left his room and walked down towards the entrance hall to the tower, humming to himself. He saw the two guards Deanna had told him to meet as came down the stairway, and noticed that Alicia stood with them. Alicia had been good company before and he trotted up to meet her, glad to see her.

"Good morning Alicia," Raogothcar said, "What are you doing here?"

"I get to come with you today," Alicia said playfully, "I had to convince both Nanny and Deanna to let me go, but I can be persuasive when I want to be."

"You can? What did you tell them?"

"That I'd stuff you in the basement and feed you rats if I didn't get to go."

"What?"

Alicia laughed then shook her head, "You should have seen the face you just made. But what would you like to see today? Is there anything that you wanted to do?"

"I don't know. Lots of things I guess, but I don't know what everything is, or where to find much. Maybe we could go where people meet each other? I'd like to see some new people I think."

"Let's take him to the Weighty Mug," one of the guards said, "He'd get to know a lot of people there."

"We'll visit one of my favorite market places," Alicia said, as she rolled her eyes. "There's always people there. You can talk with the merchants, and hear all sorts of gossip. Whenever Nanny sends me out she's asking about the news from outside, and that's where I usually get it. Come on Raogothcar, we've so much to see today."

*****

Raogothcar's first stop, one of the many Ravenstone markets, delighted him beyond words. One of the merchants talked with him about magic, travel, and people for nearly an hour. He bought himself a new shoulder bag for him to use and a small vial of circle paint. Then Alicia took him to one of the large parks in the city and showed him where she used to play before she went to the tower. Then the four of them walked through some of the wealthy neighborhoods and let Raogothcar see the delicate sculptures carved into the buildings. After spending the whole morning wandering the city, they stopped at another market to buy a small meal.

Alicia took him to another small park closer to the edge of town. Raogothcar chose a large maple tree to sit underneath to be in the shade from the summer sun. The two guards had decided to eat sitting on a rock closer to the street the park was on, but Alicia came to sit with him. Raogothcar sat listening to the slight breeze ruffle the leaves of the trees in the park as he watched several young children running around a small pond at the other end o the park.

"What have you thought about your trip so far, Raogothcar?"

"Its been terrific Alicia," Raogothcar said as he spread the fruit he purchased before him. "My parents never took me into town before, but they were always telling me about it. I'm finally here in a city, where I can do what I want. I really liked the market place, there were so many people. Are they always that loud?"

"Oh all the time," Alicia finished a bite of a sandwich she made, "sometimes they even get louder when everyone wants the same thing. Sometimes the merchants will start competing really hard and they shout all the time. Or when a dragon is selling things in town, that can get very exciting when they sell there."

"I'm going to have to do some day." Raogothcar stabbed an apple with a single talon and then started chewing on it.

"You might, but you've saved the royal family Raogothcar. They take care of the people that help them. With how the king and the prince see you, I wouldn't be surprised you wouldn't have to sell in the market for most of your life. Just ask for what you need, and I am sure they'll get you anything."

"I wouldn't want to do that though. That seems too needy, impolite. And I like this here. I've been looking forward to going to a market place for a long time now. Seeing how it works right up close, I want to be a part of it more. First I'll have to work on making a few things first, or practice re-circling things."

"You could, I think there is only one circle mage in town that can redraw circles for people. I heard he's not very good, so I always go to Benjamin in the Tower to get anything redrawn. I bet there would be a lot of very happy people if you would redraw circles for them."

"That could be fun, but I'd better practice before I do something like that. I'm not very good at it."

"I think I heard someone say that Deanna told them you could do good circle magic."

"I don't use it very often though, so I still need to use the paint. Its so hard to remember the whole circle all at once, so many details to remember. Its easier when you can see the whole thing."

"I wouldn't know, I've never tried to learn any magic before. I think it would take too long now anyway. Nanny always needs me to be doing things for her. She says one day that I might be the Matron of the Tower."

"Wouldn't that make you very busy? You wouldn't be able to come out here much if you had to run the whole Tower like you told me she does."

"It wouldn't be so bad I think. I'd just get someone else to get what we need, because that's what I do now. I think I might even be able to read a little more if I was Matron. You read a lot too though don't you? Would you like to see where I get my books?"

"Yes!" Raogothcar dropped an apple half way to his mouth, "I've been hoping to find a book shop somewhere here. I've been hoping to find one here. Do they have a lot?"

"Oh, probably not as much as you're used to, but Mr. Veen's shop has enough room for a whole lot of things. He's the only shop that keeps only books. Anyone else only has a few and lots of other stuff. We'll go there after lunch."

Raogothcar lost his appetite for conversation and wolfed down the few remaining fruit he had bought. Alicia took longer, and Raogothcar did his best to sit patiently. He couldn't help swishing his tail excitably as he waited. When she finished they walked out of the park and further up the street toward the edge of town. The guards followed dutifully at a distance talking to each other, which Raogothcar ignored, thoughts solely on Alicia's favorite book shop.

They didn't have far to walk, and the sun had only begun to start on its way down when they arrived at the shop. The place sat at the corner of two streets, a small sign hung in front of the door, a simple wordless book. Across the main street from the store a small market bustled with activity. At the center of the market a man was speaking loudly to a crowd, but Raogothcar couldn't hear anything over the haggling. Raogothcar thought it was strange that the market had so many people in it, and that the book shop seemed so ignored. While the building looked cared for, he just knew it never saw many visitors. To him, it seemed sad that so many people were distracted with the market and ignored what he knew was the most important shop in the city.

Alicia turned to the guards when she reached the door, "Could you two wait outside? Mr. Veen doesn't have a very large shop, and with Raogothcar inside, it might be a little crowded."

"Yes ma'am. Its not my pick of places anyway."

"Are there two levels of books?" Raogothcar looked past the stonework on the first floor toward the wooden level above.

"No, that's where Mr. Veen sleeps. He keeps his whole shop on the bottom floor. I'm sure you'll like it though Raogothcar." Alicia opened the front door and waved him on, "Now let's not stand out here all day, in with you."

Raogothcar walked through the door. While the library in Palitos had been much larger, the number of books that appeared in his vision nearly stunned him. In front of him was a large counter, books stacked on nearly every speck of space. On either side, his wings brushed shelves that lining the walls of the shop, and he could see several rows of shelves that lead toward the back of the small building. Each shelf was filed with books, some turned sideways others laying on their covers. The frosted windows let in a soft warm glow that made the small space feel inviting. Raogothcar laughed as he stepped further inside to let Alicia in.

"Alicia, this is great." He pointed with a wing over the counter, "Look at the size of those books, what are they? Those beside them look so old. Where do they all come from?"

"Come on, let me show you some of my favorites. First though, let's go find Mr. Veen. He's probably in the back somewhere doing something."

Raogothcar found it difficult to turn in place with the bookshelves so close to each other. After carefully rising on his haunches and twisting, he turned around and followed Alicia down the isle on the side of the building, then they turned down one of the long canyons of shelves. To Raogothcar's surprise, when they reached the end of the shelves, Alicia turned through a door way that lead into another room full of shelves. Raogothcar felt as if he was swimming through the books now, they almost felt like they pressed in on him. So many things so close scared him a little, but with so many books around him the fear yielded to excitement.

"Mr. Veen, where are you?"

"I'm over here Alicia," A disembodied voice came from several isles away, "I finally got those books from Esmorin today."

"You did?" Alicia ran further down the isles and disappeared behind one of the shelves. "You did! There's got to be at least fifty in there."

"That's not even the best of it. The other crate is at the back."

"There's a second crate? Oh Mr. Veen this is wonderful. I'll have to look through them all today. Where's Romance Across the Melodies, I've waited so long."

"Oh Alicia, its right here."

Raogothcar reached the isle where the voices were coming from and peeked around the corner. Alicia stood over a crate, her arms buried deep in small books as if she was reaching for a fish in a deep river. At the other side of the crate, an old man crouched with a small stack of books in his arms. His head was covered in wispy white hair, and a short puffy bard. They both were grinning and laughing, then Mr. Veen looked up from the crate and fell back, dropping the books and barely catching himself.

"Baguru's blessings, it's been years since I had a dragon in the shop. Hello to you sir."

"I'm so sorry Mr. Veen," Alicia stood clutching a book to her chest, "I brought a visitor today. Mr. Veen, this is Raogothcar, the savior of the royal family. Raogothcar, this is Mr. Veen."

"So you're Raogothcar?" The man stood and walked to the end of the isle, "I've heard a great deal about you. Of course its all been through the news of the city. They keep saying you're smaller than what you look like."

"They say I'm bigger?"

"Mr. Veen, they do not say that. Do they?"

"Oh yes they do. He's much bigger in the wings."

"Um, thank you. I haven't heard anyone say anything about me. I've not been in Ravenstone very much though. Alicia's been showing me around today."

"Well, I'm sorry my shop's a little hard to get around in. I think the last time I had a dragon in here was when Alicia was only half as tall as she is now. I've added quite a few shelves since then, and more than a few books as well. Its been getting a little crowded in here. But a crowd of books is good company isn't it?"

"I think so," Raogothcar tiled his head behind him, "and its not too hard to get around in here. You do have a lot of books."

"He's be largest book shop in all of Freeraven." Alicia said as she came up beside the old man. "And he's going to keep it that way too."

"Don't say that Alicia, you'll make your visitor think I'm the richest person in town. But that's not important, what is important, is what you'd like Raogothcar. Anything you'd like to see?"

Raogothcar looked at Alicia for a moment, and then realized he didn't know what he wanted to see. He guessed he should at least look at the entire store, but he couldn't think of where to start. With a shrug of his wings, Raogothcar looked back at the old man.

"I don't know. Is there anywhere you think I should start? Everything looks good to me."

"You could start on the last isle and work your way towards the front of the store. You'd get to see just about everything that way. Of course, you could just start right here and circle around. A lot of my customers just wander around the outside and never go into the center of all the books. Its like they're scared of them sometimes."

"I think I'll just start over there and go through each isle. I don't want to miss anything."

"Everyone misses something the first time, and the second and third. But have fun Raogothcar, and let me know if there is anything you want. I've got to keep an eye on Alicia here."

"Mr. Veen," She stamped her foot and then smiled, "I'm not that bad."

"Oh you can be Alicia, I've seen you read through whole books before you leave."

Raogothcar smiled as he turned and walked away from the two. He could tell they both knew each other very well. A few steps further, their voices sounded muffled and far away. The forest of words surrounding him seemed to swallow all the sound and cover him in the scent of aging paper, stiff leather, and dust. It smelt better than the library in Palitos. He grinned as he followed the wall making the last isle. Sitting at the first shelves, Raogothcar looked over the books dedicated to the earliest human beliefs of magic.

Nothing particularly interested him in those shelves, so he moved on to the next set. There were books of every color, size, and condition. Most of the books bore various titles, some none at all. Every single book seemed to cal to him, even though most of them didn't even interest him. Raogothcar knew most of them he wouldn't need or even use, but he was tempted to buy them anyway. He wondered if Deanna ever had the same problem.

He couldn't think of whenever Deanna had ever gone into a shop to buy anything. Looking down the isle, he tried to see Deanna looking at the books. After a minute, he shook his head, he just couldn't see her looking up at a set and picking over the titles. It just wasn't her. The most he had ever seen Deanna be something like herself rather than a captain, was at the library when she talked about her parents. Raogothcar could tell it was a hard time for her.

Raogothcar smiled and turned around carefully in the isle, he knew what he would buy. Deanna seemed to have a lot of thoughts and memories about her family, and they were important to her. He would buy her a journal so she would always remember them. It seemed to be the perfect thing to get. Then he'd get himself something else. When he arrived at the isle, Alicia was gone, but Mr. Veen knelt by the crate and was sorting the books.

"Excuse me Mr. Veen..."

"Raogothcar, you can call me Kent if you would like. What can I do for you?"

"Well, I was hoping maybe you could help me find a journal."

"A journal? What would a dragon need another journal for? You couldn't have lost your own."

"No, I couldn't lose my journal. I need a journal for someone else, a human journal. Do you have anything like that here?"

"Oh, a human journal. Well, I've got a few of those yes. Come with me I'll help you get one. I've got them back at the front of the store, on a bottom shelf. I suspect you'd find those hard to get."

Raogothcar pressed himself carefully against one side of shelves as Mr. Veen squeezed by his wing. For a moment, Raogothcar was worried they'd get stuck. He couldn't think of a stranger place to be pinned, between a human and a book shelf. Finally Mr. Veen pulled himself out and stumble over Raogothcar's tail. Carefully Raogothcar sat up on his haunches and twisted in place to turn around and followed Mr. Veen to the front of the store.

As they walked past one of the filmy windows, Raogothcar could hear a crowd outside the store. It sounded much larger than it had been when they went inside the building. He hadn't heard it get louder deep inside the store, but at the window, it was obvious they were excited about something. Mr. Veen even slowed down at the next window and looked outside for a brief moment.

"I suppose they have some new merchandise. Maybe they finally caught that thief. If they did, I hope there are some guards to make sure no one gets too out of line."

"There were some guards with us when Alicia and I came here."

"That's good then, I guess he'll be fine. Or whatever is going on won't get out of hand. Anyway, here we are, the journals. What color would you like? These black ones are usually very nice."

Mr. Veen bent down and plucked a small black book from the shelves and held it up for Raogothcar to see. He looked at the book from one angle to the other, as a new round of loud shouts assaulted his ears. Both of them looked back at the window.

"Um, they sure are loud aren't they Mr. Veen?"

"They are, I've not heard them that loud in a long time."

"Well, I'll take that journal. I think she'd like it."

"Alight," Mr. Veen held the book out for Raogothcar, "it's yours. I'll go add up a total for you at the desk, since I'm sure you've got other books you want to get."

"Thank you, I'll go keep looking."

Raogothcar took the small book from Mr. Veen, it barely even filled his paw. He couldn't even imagine trying to write in such a small thing. Mr. Veen walked towards the desk at the front of the store as Raogothcar sat back and slipped it inside his leather satchel.

Happy with his decision, Raogothcar turned looked down the nearest isle he was at. It held shelves filled with history, or at least stories about Nyland. He stepped down the isle and heard the door to the shop open. The voice of one of the guards that had been escorting him through the day came from the front counter. Raogothcar was glad one of the guards came in to look at the books. He strode slowly down the isle looking over the rows of treasures.

"Raogothcar," the guard's voice suddenly nearby, "I think its time we left."

"Leave?" Raogothcar twisted his head to look behind him, "I haven't even looked at half the shop. Why would we need to leave?"

"Because we really need to get out of here while we can, that's why. There's a bunch of angry people across the street shouting about you. Now come on."

"What about Alicia?" Raogothcar laboriously turned himself in the tight canyon of books.

"Alicia! We're leaving right now!" The guard yelled, then said, "There good enough? Now let's go Raogothcar while we still can."

Baring his teeth, Raogothcar reluctantly followed the guard towards the counter. There wasn't any good reason to rush a book store. When he saw Deanna next he would have to tell her that the guards weren't very nice. Reaching the counter, Raogothcar stopped.

"Mr. Veen," he said, "I think I'll just get this journal to-"

"Forget it, Raogothcar," the guard grabbed the strap on Raogothcar's leather bag and pulled, "We're leaving right now. He can charge the tower later, for now come on!"

"That's not right, we've got to pay for it don't we? Alicia? Where are you Alicia?"

Raogothcar lurched towards the doorway as the guard heaved him forward. The door opened and the cacophony struck him in the face. Mingled voices calling out his name and things he couldn't understand. The noise was nothing like the parade, it sounded more like a fight with a hundred people.

Now he let the guard pull him forward into the street. The market place across the street held even more people than when he had gone inside the shop. Now though each of them were waving their arms and shouting in his direction. Each face appeared to be snarling at him.

"Give us the dragon now!" some faceless voice screamed over the other voices.

"He's working with the assassins! He showed up with them!" a second voice joined the first.

"Come on down the street," the second guard pointed behind them, "We've got to get Raogothcar out of here."

A brick hit the wood above them and feel to the street below. Raogothcar turned his head and saw fruit, rocks, and bricks start erupting from the mass of people. He pushed back with his front feet, fear's steely taste in his mouth.

"Raogothcar, fly," Alicia's voice came from the doorway, "Fly away from them Raogothcar!"

Alicia's shout clicked in his mind, and flight became the answer to a mire of fear, confusion, and panic. Raogothcar launched forward with his hind legs and turned down the street at a run. He heard the people behind him shout louder, but he didn't want to see what they were doing.

Sharp pains tore into his back and wings as rocks and bricks rained down at him. Stones exploded before him on the cobblestones of the street, while he tore forward as fast as his legs would let him. Then he leaped forward and snapped his wings open.

With two beats of his wings, he had climbed above the rooftops of most of the surrounding buildings, and away from the hunters behind him. He looked behind him at the sea of waving arms and debris flying at him. He could hear the rumbling shout and growls of the humans behind him, the sound sickened him and chilled his heart.

Slowly he climbed higher, far beyond where a normal human could hit him with anything. A wet burning sensation in different places on his back remained where the crowd had struck him. His back burned with the pain as he beat his wings. They had hit him with several things, he could feel the wounds.

He felt his eyes water as he turned towards the tower. He could hear the furious shouts in his mind. At the front of the crowd there had been a man with a butcher's knife. Near the back of the crowd he had seen a sword waving threateningly. He had heard words, traitor, assassin, murderer, killer, beast, monster. The tears welled deeper in his eyes and began streaming down his neck as the wind whipped around him.

"Why?" He cried, "Why? What have I done? They shouldn't have done that. They shouldn't have. It wasn't right, it hurt, it hurt so much. What's wrong?"

Raogothcar looked behind him; he was too far from the mob to see them anymore. He felt their presence, almost as if they were surrounding him from all sides, flying beside, above, and below him. He cried to be safe, he cried for them all to go away.

The balconies of the tower came quickly. He beat his wings hard and came up to the stonework quickly. Through his tears, Raogothcar reached out with his legs and dropped down. The landing struck back and he wasn't ready for it. His legs gave out from him and he crumpled upon the stone, and felt himself slide across the stone. The blow put stars in his eyes, the slide tore at his legs and chest. Then he laid in a heap, piled against the railing of the balcony.

"Why?" His voice cracked, "I didn't do anything. I didn't. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

*****

Eleanor looked up from the circle she had drawn on the table. She practiced her circle spells on the balcony when the weather was permissible, because she rarely had distractions. She had drawn half of a circle depicted in the book at the table, when she heard the loud thump.

She waited silently for a few moments, and nearly returned to her circle, when she heard Raogothcar's voice wailing from another balcony. Apprehension clutched at her chest as she rose. Never in her life had she heard a dragon cry, but she was certain the tenor inhuman wail was Raogothcar.

Slowly pushing aside the thick drapery, she stepped silently onto the balcony where she heard him. Alarm shot through her mind as she saw the bright red blood on his back in small streams down his back against the darker red of his skin. He lay as if he had fallen from the sky. His legs were pinned between his body and the railing, while one wing lay sprawled across the floor, the other draped over the railing.

"Raogothcar," Eleanor hurried to his side, "what happened to you?"

"I didn't do anything wrong." He said raising his head to look at her. "They- All of them were- They were so angry."

"Are you hurt? Where are the others?"

"I don't know. I don't know."

"Guards!" Eleanor stood as she called, "Guards, bring me a healer."

She heard a muffled response and the sound of someone running from the stairway. The dragon shuddered as he turned his neck and curled himself slightly. Eleanor looked over his back, and was relieved that none of the cuts or scrapes appeared to be serious. The wings had slight bloody tears in the membranes, but were far from serious. There was no clues what had happened, but she was glad Raogothcar had escaped intact. Whatever had happened, had clearly shaken him badly though.

"Rest Raogothcar, you are safe and I have someone coming to look after you."

The dragon merely whimpered and curled himself further.