Between the Storms

Chapter Twenty-Five

25. You've Brought Down the Dragon

Magdelena had search for three days near the area for Gilthunder but there was no sign of him, even with Baxton searching with his smell. Magdelena was sitting, she had been getting woozy lately, her vision blurred often and she felt ready to faint. She stood for a moment but felt woozy once again but pushed through knowing she has to find Gilthuder, so she can get the Eye and then hurry back to Camelot. 

She began to stumble around, eventually losing track of where she was. Walking whichever way her feet went, her vision grew foggy and it was hard to see where she was, the forest was just a giant green and brown blur. She arrived at a cave, it was warm inside and she needed to rest or risk passing out in the middle of the forest to be eaten by whichever animals she was near. Entering the cave she was able to lean against the wall and slide down before her world went black once more. 

She awoke with a splitting headache and a sore neck and her back felt like it was on fire, but her vision was still foggy or so she assumed as there was a great bronze blue in front of her, "Dear Maggie whatever has happened to you?" the voice sounded like the Great Dragon Kilgharrah but as she went in and out of consciousness she wouldn't believe he was there, and that it was just due to whatever had happened to her she heard his voice.

The next time she woke up her vision was normal, but still her neck and head were sore, she first saw the fire close to where she was sitting propped up against the wall. Next, her eyes traveled up to see the Great Dragon laying in the back of the cave which was rather small, bones lay scattered around the area of various animals, "Kilgharrah I thought your voice was my head playing tricks on me," she says standing carefully but her head spun forcing her back down.

"I am glad I found you Little One," he says his deep voice just as she remembered, "The poison in your back wound was very dark indeed. I have slowly been removing it using my own."

"You have been healing me Kilgharrah?" she asks looking at the dragon with a large smile, "I forgot that bastard stabbed me in the back. I hope that I am able to repay your kindness." 

"I am sure I will come up with something," Kilgharrah says letting a small laugh rumble the cave and Magdelena's chest.

Magdelena chuckles as she looks at the dragon's face, "I am sure you will," she says her eyes beginning to close but she tries to force them open, tries to stay awake.

"Dragon magic is very strong on those who are not Dragon or Dragonlords," he says, "You would be better of resting yourself until the poison is fully out of your system. I shall be here while you sleep, and I will be here when you wake."

Magdelena can only smile softly before her eyes shut and she was in a deep sleep, still in that uncomfortable position against the wall. Kilgharrah didn't want to move her in case it either woke her or aggravated the very infected wound on her back, which was a new scar among many which were all recent and new. Scars from whips, which he would be asking her about once she was back to full strength.

Four days later Magdelena awoke, her head no longer hurt and her back was no longer painful, she looked to the mouth of the cave to see it was night, the glanced at the dragon. Who seemed to be having a rather bad dream, which was an interesting thing, she never thought dragons dreamed let alone had bad ones. 

She crawled from her place and knelt by his claw which was a bit away from his body, as his eyes flinched and his body twitched, placing a calming hand on his paw she began to sing.

"Blackbird singin' in the dead of night Take these broken wings and learn to fly All your life You were only waiting for this moment to arise."

Magdelena was slightly worried when Kilgharrah didn't stop twitching her flinching, but she hoped the calm she was sending him while she touched him would help and perhaps even the song could help calm him down.

"Blackbird singin' in the dead of night Take these sunken eyes and learn to see All your life You were only waiting for this moment to be free. Blackbird fly Blackbird fly Into the light of the dark, black night."

Kilgharrah stopped twitching and let out a small growl not in a threatening manner but in a sort of relief that the dream was coming to an end or that he was starting to feel her calming effect on him.

"Blackbird fly Blackbird fly Into the light of the dark, black night Blackbird singin' in the dead of night Take these broken wings and learn to fly All your life You were only waiting for this moment to arise."

She felt him shift and looked to see his molten gold eyes looking at her with a soft look that made her heart hurt as she saw the pure pain in his eyes. 

"You were only waiting for this moment to arise You were only waiting for this moment to arise."

They sat in silence for a moment longer before Kilgharrah decided to break the silence, "Thank you." It was all he said and it was all she needed to hear before she looked at him, "You would have many nightmares if you were also the last of your kind and very close to dying off. Now I would like to inquire about the scars on your back."

"They are healing well Kilgharrah no need to worry about them," she says going to move away but his large paw - if you will - scooped her up and kept her close, so she was sitting between his cross front legs.

He gave a stern look one she was sure that fathers had given son's  for years, "I am aware they are healing I want to know how and why you got them." 

Magdelena hangs her head, "I was kidnapped by Mason in the Forbidden Lands. He planned to make me his like tenth wife but I fought him every step," she says staring at him, "He finally decided to have me whipped into submission which didn't work."

"I am sorry that you had to endure that," he says making her smile at him, "Now what brings you out here so far away from Camelot?"

"A quest which I am not going to tell you about because you will just lecture me as Gaius and Merlin did," she says holding up her hands making him laugh but doesn't press the issue further which allowed Magdelena to breath. She had a strong feeling she knew what the dragon thought about the Eye and would sooner eat her then let her claim it, "You haven't by chance seen my horse have you?"