Dragon's Reclaim - The Book of Tremor Part One

Chapter 4 - Sighting

Early in the year 818.

"Sixty blooming days almost done mate." said the guard to his friend.

"Yea and I can't wait to get back to the castle; the smell of cow dung around here has driven me mad."

The two Chillington soldiers were on the final day of duty, tomorrow they could head home and another pair of guards would take their place in the small farming town of Dalwood.

Tomlin was slightly taller than his friend Barnstall, and at times quite clearly the brains of the two, slender and strong it was Tomlin who often settled any griefs with the town people as Barnstall would often mumble and stammer his way through an argument.

The soldiers always had to address one another by their surnames; Private Marcus Tomlin was his full military name.

Whilst his fumbling dim-witted friend was called Private Terrence Barnstall.

It had indeed been a long day, after patrolling the town all day long with hardly anything to do in regard to their military duties.

Tomlin suggested that they have a little drink to celebrate their end of duty, it was to be a long ride home in the morning and what better way to see out their last night by getting a little tipsy.

Barnstall whole heartily agreed, for two months they had stayed at the Jester and Knave. Watching other people drink the local tipple and having fun.

And on the odd occasion, the two men did try one or two drinks the locals would frown upon them and mutter under their breaths.

The shops and traders began to close for the day meaning that another day's duty was over, they watched and waited as the last of the shopkeepers locked up for the night.

They did one last check of the surrounding area and then made their way over to the tavern just on the edge of town.

"So will your wife be happy to see you, Tomlin?"

"Ha! Definitely, she hates me being in the Royal Army, says I'm off my head and should be at home with her and my daughter."

"But if you didn't work, you'd have no gold to take home." Barnstall responded in an obvious tone,

"Exactly, I love them too pieces but without a wage, we'd be homeless."

"She hates living in Chillington but what she doesn't understand is we live in the biggest and safest city in the lands, yes it's crowded and manic at times but we're under the king's protection at all times." continued Tomlin.

"How old is your daughter mate?"

"That's if you don't mind me asking of course" Barnstall corrected himself quickly.

"No, it's fine buddy, she's eight... nine next month."

"Blimey, she will be so glad to see you then if it's her birthday soon." smiled Barnstall.

"Hope so mate, got her a book from in the town a few days ago, it's all about the War of the Flames."

Barnstall looked puzzled.

"You know the big War where King Gaprone killed all the Dragons?"

"Oh yeah, I know what you mean now."

Tomlin smiled and shook his head.

"Apparently some Druid wrote it, brought it from an elderly gentleman, and he said my daughter would love it as it depicts the history of the dragons and how mankind destroyed them."