Taniel (The Taverner's Daughter I)

100: Rufus

Rufus was sick of flying. Since parting with Sam at Watchward Turras, he had turned south, skimmed the cascades, passed over Aberporthy, and had finally reached the bay.

There, he had paused on a rock, barely closing his eyes before Driscoll summoned him. He was a green dragon. It was impossible for him to fly all the way to Stakkr in one day. Find the witch-woman, Driscoll had said.

She was riding a red dragon. Bed them down in a safe place for the night. On the morrow, Rufus must be their guide.

At last, a dark smudge moved across the swell toward him. Looking up, he recognised the young dragon. The small red possessed a short mindpath, was mute, and was unable to use the Void to find her bearings.

Despite the expectation, Rufus found it odd to see a lone woman on a dragon. Paget waved. As he closed in, she pointed to her dragon, to herself, and then to the ground. He was pleased to see they were of a like mind and let himself drift down to the mainland where fresh water, meandering over a low cliff, forged a runnel in the sand.

He checked his charges. Amazed, he gawked at the red flying on by. Inaudible, Paget screamed at him. Why did she not instruct her mount?

Had some fool put the woman in the sky without any method of communication? Now, he understood why Driscoll had given him the task.

It took only a few seconds for him to draw level but Rufus was unable to get close enough for mind talk. He repeated hand signals until comprehension dawned in the young dragon's eyes.

Rufus hovered over the spot he picked for their landfall, urging the little red downward. Paget dismounted, falling into a tumbled heap before scrambling behind a spindly paperbark.

Rufus, seeing what she was about and knowing some woman were funny about such things, even in front of dragons, landed further away than he wished. Once she completed her private business, Rufus ambled to them.

"Who are you?" she asked, her voice hoarse.

"Rufus. Jarryd's dragon. You are Wizard Ritter's witch-woman."

"Not any more. Thanks for helping me down." She smiled. "I'm Paget."

"I know," he said. "Driscoll asked me to find you."

"Dax sent you?"

"Yes. I must attend to the young one." He sidled to the tense red.

I am Rufus. My dragonrider is Jarryd Langley of Stakkr. I do not know your new name.

She has not bothered to give me a flying name. The red dragon glared at the witch-woman. Wizard Ritter told me to follow my nose to Dakeshott.

Rufus looked to Paget. "Why are you going to Dakeshott?"

"What?" Her eyebrows rose. "Why would he deliver us to the pirates?"

"Did he not tell you?" He wondered how the pair would have fared without skills for night flying. They might have perished in the formidable mountains.

"Ritter threw us out." Tentative, she stroked a red shoulder. "No introduction. I haven't even named her." Teardrops trembled on her lashes. "She hates me, Rufus. She will not speak to me."

Scales gleamed in the afternoon sun as the young red twisted her slender neck, dipping her head to look into the distraught woman's face.

So, this one is mine, then. Tell her I can listen but do have not the words.

Rufus explained the dragon's limitations and listened as Paget apologised to the red, offering to take her home if she preferred another rider.

Tell her, I will stay with her if my impairments are acceptable.

He obliged.

Paget sighed. "I do want you as my dragon. I will find a way for us to talk. Navigation is easy. There are ways."

A name, then, tell her I want a name.

"You must be named," said Paget. "Do you wish to choose one?"

After some thought, the dragon spoke to Rufus, without taking her eyes from Paget.

"She wants to be called Uity," relayed Rufus, relieved the red had good hearing or this sort of talking would take forever.

"A wonderful name." Paget stepped back three paces. "My name is Paget Aithne, Midwitch of Eighalh," she said, executing a curtsy. "I am dragonrider to Uity, the most beautiful dragon in the entire world."

Rufus strolled to the waterfall, leaving them smiling stupidly at each other, hoping he did not have to take them to Eighalh. He stuck his snout under the trickling water and drank before flapping up the cliff-face. He lunged into the rockpool to wash away his travel grime.

After his wallow, Rufus rested his head on the rocky lip and, with twin streams of water flowing past his jaws, watched the conversation below him. Paget talked, and gestured. The little red responded with headshakes and nods. After a while, the witch started looking around, perhaps thinking their rescuer had flown away.

He lifted his head and flicked water with his wings.

Paget climbed awkwardly on to Uity's back and they flew to join him. Reluctant, Rufus left the pool so they might refresh themselves, too.

Paget stripped away her clothing and splashed into the water, gasping at the first slap of cold. She swam to the far end and drank from the inflow. She seemed comfortable swimming in her skin in front of him, Rufus thought. It would be a different matter if Jarryd, or Dax, were with them.

Uity drank standing back from the edge. Like all fire dragons, she disliked wet feet.

Rufus eyed the lowering sun. "Paget. I will hunt. We will sleep here. Do not leave."

She raised a hand in reply, leaning back against the rocks with her eyes closed.

Aloft, he soon saw a herd of cattle drinking upstream. Higher, he went, not letting his shadow warn his prey as he moved into position. He loved hunting. He loved the rush of the swoop, the earth drawing ever closer until he snatched his target. He chose a half-grown bull.

On his return, Rufus discovered that Paget had set up camp. A small fire burned by a pile of sticks and scavenged wood.

Eyes huge, Uity drooled.

Rufus peeled back skin and ripped out a chunk of flesh. Humans liked beef bled, and aged, but she had little choice if she wanted a hot meal. Paget gave him a warm smile when she accepted the meat. He freed a front shoulder for himself, and then carried the rest of the dripping carcass to the hungry young one. He dropped it under her nose.

She ate daintily, at first.

Rufus settled in for a good gnawing, rumbling his contentment. It was good to have company, he thought, watching Paget prod her sizzling meal with a knife.

Rufus yawned.

Paget grinned. "What is the chance of one of those serpents coming across from the Gillormes," she asked.

"None," he scoffed. Nevertheless, he regretted not sleeping on the beach. The ormes hated the sandy stuff more than he did. He stretched his wings and limbs, in turn, before curling against the side of the red dragon.

Pushing aside thoughts of swamp monsters, Rufus let sleep roll in on the pleasant sounds of Uity enjoying her feed.

***

8 April 2017 - replaced with revised scene (removed image of an earlier map)

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