Feeding the Dragon Page 4

the ch'i seeping from the dragon. Reluctantly, the girls followed. They trod on the odd bone as they went, many of which looked distinctly human. The girls slowed abruptly, one gave a little scream, but Wu Nu didn't notice. She was entranced. The two Wisdoms appeared in the entrance to the tunnel behind them and watched, making no attempt to interfere.

  The dragon fixed Wu Nu with a basilisk's unblinking eye as she approached. Wu Nu slowed, and started to speak, the same words she used when stalking any of the multitudes of animals she spent hours catching.

  "There's a pretty dragon. What a lovely skin you have, so colourful and beautiful and I adore your sail. Don't worry, I won't hurt you." She held her hand out towards the dragon for it to sniff, coming to a halt several yards away.

  The dragon visibly relaxed, its crest drooping down and it stretched in the sun.

  "You look nice and warm, my beauty, and with a big full tummy. Would you like it rubbed? We're good at rubbing tummies."

  Astonishingly, the dragon rolled on its side and lifted its legs to allow access to its tummy. Wu Nu climbed up the rock and started to rub its tummy.

  "Oh, there's a horrid tick in your armpit, no, there's lots of them! Not to worry, we will get rid of them. Uggh! The big ones bite!" She turned and gestured impatiently at the girls, standing near the entrance to the meadow and close to the exit. "Come on girls, what's the matter? Come here!"

  The girls didn't move. An actual dragon, despite Wu Nu's assurances to the contrary, was scary.

  This didn't occur to Wu Nu, who wasn't scared of any animal in the first place and secondly could feel the ch'i now pouring out of this dragon. She knew it was friendly. She stamped her foot.

  "What's the matter with you? It's just like a big buffalo that you work with in the fields." The dragon raised its head and looked distinctly put out at this comparison. The girls shivered, and began to come forward hesitantly under her scorn. Wu Nu shepherded them over the recumbent dragon with a stream of instructions. "I want this dragon checked all over for ticks and injuries. Ting Lah, go and tell the Wisdoms that we need oil and rags to polish him and some alcohol to clean the wounds of the ticks. Make sure you get it, go with the Wisdoms. Poon Wah, I know it is his bottom, but it still has ticks around it! Look, more than anywhere else. Get rid of them."

  While the dragon had clearly been enjoying the ministrations, it had not expected to have its cloaca cleaned and tried to move its tail back to obstruct access. Wu Nu thumped it on the head.

  "Stop that! You are very dirty there and we must clean you. Ting Lah!" She shouted at the girl running across the meadow. "We need hot water and soap as well! And knives! We need small daggers for the big ticks. Wu An, she will not be able to get it all, go and help her."

  She grabbed the nearest foreleg and inspected the limb critically. "Hmmn. We are going to need a rasp, or file. These talons are in poor condition. Stop that!" she barked this last at the dragon who was trying to pull his foreleg back. "Wisdoms! What a bad name for them. Stupids would be much better. How could they let this dragon get into this condition?" She muttered this under her breath so not even the other girls nearby heard her.

  "They're scared of me," said a small voice in the back of her head.

  "Was that you?" asked Wu Nu in astonishment, looking the dragon in the eye.

  "Yes. It is long since a human could hear me properly."

  "Why don't you speak? That would be easier, everyone could understand you then."

  A long yellow tongue flicked out, gently gliding over her face.

  "My tongue is for smelling and sensing. It cannot make sounds."

  "Do you understand us when we speak?"

  "Oh yes. You I understand from far away, I hear your thoughts, so loud. I have been waiting for you. Others, only from their words."

  "How long have you been here in this valley?"

  "More years than you can comprehend, child. From here I have guided the country since it was very small."

  "Where are your attendants?"

  "They died and have not been replaced. Only two remain, and they don't know how to groom me. They can feed my mind; they are librarians and read me stories. It is hard to understand what is happening in the country for we get less information now."

  Wu Nu looked at the dragon. "You are the Abbot, aren't you?"

  "Yes. My name is Sung. This is my country. I am its protector. What is your name, child?"

  Wu Nu smiled sunnily at the dragon.

  "My name is Sung Bai Ju."

  The dragon butted her affectionately with its huge head, knocking her off the rock, to land on her bottom in the grass. "Not yet, little novice, but with proper training we might make something of you."

  --ooOoo--

  Other short stories by the same author:

  Thief in the Night

  A message from the Author:

  I hope you have enjoyed Feeding the Dragon, one of my short stories from an alternative Earth five hundred years ago. I really enjoyed looking at Sung Bai Ju's youth. I hope it shows my writing style and that it appeals to you. In which case, I would invite you to visit www.harrhein.com or www.facebook.com/harrhein where there will be news as I publish more works from the country of Harrhein, and you can follow the life of the Princess Asmara.

  Over the coming months, I plan to publish several more short stories. Thief in the Night is already available, the story of a young soldier realising he is not alone in the armoury. At www.harrhein.com you will also see that I have been inspired to produce two more short stories: The Wagon Master is the story of Chad, an unsung hero for he is a haulier. A very emotive story. The other will take us to the South Seas where poor Pat Connorson will find himself bait - for an octopus. There will be more.

  Late in the year, In Search of Spice will be published. This is not a short story: with in excess of 150,000 words it ranks as a blockbuster. The seventeen year old Princess Asmara is forced to flee the Palace to avoid assassination, and enlists in disguise as an ordinary seaman on the Queen Rose. The first carrack to be built in Harrhein, it is on a voyage of exploration across the Eastern Ocean, looking for trading opportunities and the fabled Spice Islands. The crew hope to return with a cargo of pepper, cardamom and cloves, which will make their fortune.

  This is not a coming of age novel. As you may have gathered already, if you read Thief in the Night, the Princess is somewhat precocious. She came of age when she was fourteen.

  It is a novel of culture clash, of warfare, of magic, sex, love, fighting, politics and trade. High adventure. Extensive research has gone into this book, and I have endeavoured to be accurate in such diverse descriptions as how to warp a carrack out of dock; the kava ceremony; forming a shield wall and the politics of fourteenth century India.

  There are several characters, many of whom are introduced in these short stories.

  Writing In Search of Spice has been a lot of fun. I can't wait to write the sequel. But that will involve a lot of warfare based on that of fourteenth century India, and for that I need to spend time there going over old battlefields and talking to historians. I am trying to get my head around the many variations of Hinduism which I need to understand in order to create suitable religions.

  Of course I need In Search of Spice to be a success for that to happen, so I am releasing these short stories completely free of charge as a blatant teaser to ensure you like my writing style and will buy it when it comes out.

  Enjoy.

  Rex Sumner