Dragon Tamer - Book 1

Chapter 39

Marcie continued to meet with the strangers in the tavern for the next couple of days. Breen always joined then, unusual as he rarely drank, but he seemed to enjoy the strange men's company.

They chatted amongst themselves or talked Jin into telling them story, which usually ended up with him standing on a table and pouring ale over himself.

Marcie enjoyed herself immensely and it allowed her to stave off her sadness at being parted from Dara. He kept her company in her thoughts however and he seemed to enjoy Jins stories more than anything.

It was late. Jin had just finished a long tale of the lives lost building Cathels Wall when the door to the tavern was thrown open and Dafne blew in like a blizzard.

Her thin body wrapped in a long flowing black cloak with a large hood and she said into the shocked silence,

"All o you out now"

She then turned to The Barman and said,

"Take me to er"

The Barman needed no prompting.

When The Witch told you to do something, you damn well did it. Especially if she was referring to your heavily expecting wife.

Marcie rushed to follow, then remembered the guests,

"Breen, can you show these three where they will be staying tonight?" she asked hurriedly, all her attention focused on the stairs Dafne had disappeared up.

"What's going on? Who was that?" asked Jin coming over, his audience having all made a hasty retreat.

"That's The Witch" said Breen, his attention also focused on the stairs, "Something must be wrong with mother"

Marcie grabbed his hand,

"If Dafne's here then she will be alright" she said confidently, although her heart was beating very fast and she felt her eyes sting ready with tears.

Breen looked at her, his eyes wide and also showing red, he swallowed, then downed the last of his ale,

"I shall take them to my home, we have plenty of spare beds" he said to no one in particular,

The outsiders gathered up their belongings and followed the man out,

"Let us know what happens" Jin said, smiling kindly at Marcie, "I wish to thank the Bar lady in person for her hospitality"

Marcie barely heard him, as soon as the door closed she raced upstairs.

She passed a room where Kena had all her siblings gathered on one bed and was telling them a children's tale of a fairy who became lost in the wood and made friends with a tree.

It was a pleasant story but the children were clearly not paying attention, they shuffled and squirmed as Kena's voice was drowned out by cries of pain and sobs from down the hall.

Marcie carefully and quietly closed the door and hurried to the source of the anguish.

She found Luce propped up on a mound of pillows on a dirty and stained bed, her knees up, hair soaked in sweat, Dafne checking her opening while The Barman wiped her forehead with a damp cloth and cried quietly.

"He's the wrong way rawnd" Dafne said briskly, she bustled over and massaged Luce's swollen stomach, feeling with her fingertips.

"He needs t come out now, no other way, any longer an you at risk of dying y self"

Luce gasped and panted,

"I...can't..."she huffed,

"Easy now, dont you be sayin that, you been through worse birthin your little army, don you try an pussy out on us now girl" Dafne retorted,