Amanda Crum

The plague of Dragons

There weren't always dragons in the valley, at least, that is what we thought. The valley of Scath lay at the foot of the largest mountain in the kingdom and few would make the arduous journey across its ridged peaks. Its summit was razor sharp rock for miles and its forest a labyrinth. It is also said that more than mere wolves waited in the shadows of the emerald canopy. I remember vividly hearing those words slither out of the old soothsayers mouth and running to cower behind my mother. “Ye best behave little one or the Bodach will snatch you up,” she would cackle while a sly smile spread across her thin lips. All those years I thought she was a mad old woman taking pleasure in torturing children with nightmares, but now, I have come to understand that not all of her stories were untrue.  In the days of my youth, the soothsayer’s outlandish tales were all I had to worry about. I would race over to my mother with tears steaming down my face begging her to tell me that the ancient hag was lying. That the Bodach and the Fomorians were made up to scare me and the other children. I would look into her hazel eyes, and she would smile a gentle smile, kneel down, and speak softly while holding my cheek. “Aye my love, these are but tales and nothing more,” she would say,” the soothsayer merely speaks of dangers all should take heed of. The Bodach speaks of the dangers of strangers, and the Fomorians to the dangers of the water. That is all, A leanbh.” She would tenderly wipe away my tears and wrap me in a warm embrace until I was consoled, then lead me down the winding path to our home. I would climb in my bed, eyelids heavy, and sleep peacefully with the knowledge that all those scary stories were only the fantasies of an old woman. I would awake in the early morning to find nothing had happened. I was in my own bed and not in an evil witch’s cauldron, or trapped in the land of the otherworlders. I was safe, and that would always fill me with a giddy gratitude; but now as I traverse up the mountain I find that I am far more afraid of the unknown then when I was a child. Hopefully  seeing Roisin’s warm expression will erase my fears. Not many new faces roam through here, but, after he came, everything changed. The once quiet and peaceful air of my village now fills with the cries of the ill. A sickness has begun to run rampant through the towns people and, despite all of her knowledge, our village healer has had no luck in treating the infected. Roisin moved a strand of her rose colored hair behind her ear as she began crushing herbs in a bowl. “I don’t understand,” she exclaimed with a heavy sigh,” nothing is working. Salves, teas, herbal baths, nothing!” She was silent for a long moment be fore she spoke in a whisper,” This wouldn't have happened if ma was still here.” I turned from the bassen of dishes I was washing to look at her. She seemed so much smaller than I remembered. These long months had taken their toll on her, and I could see her hope failing her. “Roisin, you must keep faith,” I spoke softly with as much happiness as I could muster at the moment as I crossed the room. “We will find out what is causing this.” I placed my hand on her shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly. A small smile adorned her lips as she nodded slowly. She turned to look at me the door to her home swung open. There in the doorway stood a large man. His clothes and hair dripping from the hard rain that began to pour down. His chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath. His figure was hard to see shrouded in the dim light, but when he stepped forward, we could see that it was Riosins’ cousin. Bryan walked briskly to her side with a small nod of greeting to the both of us. “Bryan? What urgency has brought you here? In the rain no less,” she questioned. Surprisingly, a look of seriousness set into his normally happy features. “The Eldar has requested everyone come to the square…immediately”, his sky blue eyes held worry as he brushed back a lock of raven hair from his face. Roisin turned to me, uncertainty and fear crossing her face, as she reached out for my hand. “What has happened?” I questioned sternly as I searched his frame for any clue to what this was about. He sighed in exasperation,” I’ve not a clue, Addy, but I know that the elder sent me in the mist of a deluge to come and get you…and any others straggling about,” he finished, throwing his hands up in irritation,” now can we go before I get a large chunk of my ass taking’ out for being late?” Bryan moved to the door and jerked it open, motioning with his hand for us to go. I looked to Roisin and gave her hand a light squeeze of reassurance. I took a deep breath and walked out of the door first.   It was not often the Eldar called for the whole village to gather and when he did, it was rarely good news. Dread started to well inside my stomach as we made the march down to the center of town. The rain had begun to slow, and by the time we came to the edge of the dense forest, stopped all together. The main road was muddy and slick, through it didn't stop the little ones from racing around to jump in all the puddles. A smile came to my lips; you can always count on children to liven up even the worst of times. I turned my gaze forward and saw all the adults gathering around an old tree stump and followed suit. I took a place next to Roisin and waited for the Eldar to take his place atop the sudo stand. The Eldar was an old man and had become fragile over his many years. It was hard not to admire him; he had spent his life in service of the village and was loved and respected by all. The Eldar moved slowly toward the center and beckoned Bryan over. Bryan help him up to the stump and made sure the Eldar was balanced before he waled back to his place in the crowd. The Eldar cleared his throat and immediately silence washed over the attendants. “I know things of late have been hard. Several of our friends and neighbors have become quite ill, and though our healer is trying her best, the illness is still present.” A wave of whispers rolled through the crowd. All the efforts to cure the sickness have been in vain and people were becoming scared. The Eldar raised his hand and the assembly quieted once more.” Through my years watching over this village we have had many illnesses. ‘Tis the way of life, but this is one I have yet to encounter. Two weeks ago, there was a traveler who came through our town. Many of you came to me and told me the traveler asked you strange questions about our home and the flowers that started to grow near the crops.” The Eldar looked around judging the crowds reactions before he began again.” Now, I do not believe that this man is the cause of what is happening, but, I do believe he may know something about it. That is why… I want a group of three to go and find this man, and bring him back here so that we may find away to stop the spread of this affliction!”  Everyone in the gathering stayed silent for a long moment. Leave? No one has ever left our village. We find all that we need here. What our crops do not provide, the forest does, and what the forest does not provide we will find in the river nearby. Though fear ran in my veins, the Eldars words sprinted through my mind. It did seem to fit. The strange flowers the began to bloom, then the visitor, and after that, the sickness came. It was worth the risk to leave if it meant it could save my home, but could I do it? Could I find him? I looked over at Roisin. Her soft rose locks draped over her ear as she scanned the crowd with her amber eyes scanning over the crowd to see what brave soul would choose to take on this task. I could see the dark circles under her eyes muc!h clearer now. The line around her mouth had deepened as well. Would she be the next one to become ill? Was the stress of her hopelessness to heal those in failing heath going to cause her to be next? Terror gripped me at that thought, and At that moment I knew, I would not let that happen. I was afraid of the unknown, but the unknown future was far worse than unknown ground.