Dragons Den

Warning:- If you are squemish about blood, please skip this post

The Elf carefully considered the best way to deal with the injury, if he cut along the line of the bone he could easily expose the damaged area but there would be little available for stitching afterwards. He decided to open a cut about a hand span below knowing it would need to be deeper but would afford better healing.

His eyes travelled to the dragon's head, although her snout was pushed under her great neck, he could see her eye staring at him, even though she knew the pain would be intense he could see trust and hope mirrored in the midnight pupil.

He traced his finger along the wing edge reading carefully the damage hidden beneath. The bone was fractured, but it was a clean break, once the blood clot was removed and the blood flow restored the wing should heal, but it could not wait, it must be now or the wing would die.

He drew the blade of his elven dagger along the rubbery skin, tracing a line down which the incision would be made. Faereluth shuddered, if it was from fear or fever Aruin could not tell.

"Steady Girl." he called his voice low and soothing.

As he cut into the flesh he heard her moan, deep and long but muffled beneath her. Tears sprang into her eyes, she fought to blink them away forcing her snout further under her body, ensuring she did not bite the Elf trying to help her.

Aruin cut carefully, slowly exposing the mass of congealed blood. Not wishing to damage more than was absolutely needed he reached in and lifted up a handful of the dark black clot. Setting it to one side he studdied the wound, after a few moments a small trickle of bright red oozed up through the black and began to trickle down over the wing, encouraged Aruin continued to work until the whole clot had been removed.

He knew he must find a way to connect the severed artery, for left alone a new clot would form and the repair would be lost. Searching his cloak he withdrew a finely tooled case from a concealed pocket. Opening it he carefully removed a fine mithril needle, then taking a single strand of his own hair he began to stitch the damaged vessle together.

Each pass of the needle was accompanied by a low moan from the dragon, she had shut her eye tight but tears still managed to trickle out and run down her cheek.

"Easy girl, easy, I am almost done," Aruin's voice still soft and calming.

Faereluth answered but even with his sensetive hearing Aruin could not understand her muffled reply. She was very angry, the pain so intense she had seared her neck as she attempted to stifle the flame that should have incinerated Aruin. The reek of burnt flesh making the Elf eyes water.

"Do not weep mellon nin, for without your aid my wing would surely be lost." She hissed through clenched jaws. She was so desperate to give vent to the anger within her she stood up seeking something to attack.

Spying a small rock close by she set flame to it heating it till it glowed white the snow about it sizzling and steaming. Aruin gulped, knowing that without the goodwill of the dragon that rock could so easily have been him. Shuddering Faereluth moved closer to the super heated stone then curled somewhat carefully around it.

Aruin stood back and stooped to clean his hands in a small pile of soft snow, once Faereluth was lying down he approached. Carefully he piled snow against her reddened throat and chest hoping it would ease the burns. She sighed softly her eyes now reflecting only gratitude and weariness.

Moving her arm a little she motioned to Aruin to come closer, he gathered his things and then came to sit within her encircling body. The radiating heat of the stone driving out the chill of the late afternoon. He had many questions to ask but they would remain unanswered for now the dragon slept.

As Aruin sat carefully cleaning the knife he had used he became aware of the reek of bad flesh, at first he considered it was the rotting blood, but he had been careful to bury that. He then thought to examine the wing fearing his aid had come to late, but the wing was still alive pale but already around the repaired vessle the skin was coloring. There was no sign of decay, careful not to wake her, knowing sleep was what she needed most, he stood and walking quietly to her head he began to scan her looking for the source of the awful smell.

Althought her neck was burned and she bore several wounds upon her face none showed any sigh of infection, he continued to check her carefully. As he moved along her back the smell intensified, he mused as to why he had not noticed it before, thinking it was possible his attention to the wound and to the dragon's head and mood had masked his sense of smell, or could it be some great wound had opened suddenly. He could still see nothing and was considering she must be lying upon the problem when moving around behind her he suddenly saw a scale move.

Aruin was startled and curious, fighting back a wave of nausea he reached out to touch the scale, as he looked closer the scale suddenly lifted and dropped to the ground revealing a dark greenish ooze that glowed, and a reek that knocked Aruin off his feet.

Coughing and spluttering he struggled to raise himself, forcing himself back and away from Faereluth. He was gagging on the stench unable to draw breath , Faereluth awoke startled and confused,

"What are you doing poking around my backside?" She cried.

"Speak." She demanded.

She turned on him her eyes blazing with fury, Aruin tried to answer but his throat refused to allow anymore of the foul air into his lungs, his eyes watered furiously and he began to turn blue. Faereluth became alarmed, something was wrong with the Elf, he seemed unable to breathe properly. She must DO something and quickly.

Snatching him up she draped him over her shoulder and proceeded to beat his back with her clawed hand. Aruin gasped as the first blow hit him, he gulped in precious lung fulls of air and struggled furiously to avoid the oncoming blows,

"Stop . . . stop for surely you will break every bone in my body if you do not." he cried

Alarmed Faereluth stopped, dropped him to the ground, and stood reguarding him her face portraying both concern and horror. For a few moment Aruin lay in a crumpled heap, everything ached, throbbed, but nothing was broken. As he tried to stand up however he realised much was bruised. Gingerly he got to his feet.

Now able to breathe once more he explained he had been trying to find the source of the reek about her. Faereluth lowered her head eyeing him suspiciously.

"Are you saying I smell?

Aruin thought for a moment wrinkling his nose.

"Yes." he said

"Infact you stink!"

"She is alas dead I fear" Elrond looked sad as if the truth had finally reached him,

"Her quest to bring you here was not without peril, we have been attacked by dragons before, it was not until she had left you that it was realised she was no threat"

Elrond cringed as his thoughts screamed liar at him, he felt sure Bragolath would hear if he did not quell it, but it would not be denied,

'You sought to kill her when the fault was not hers, you wanted her dead for she alone knows that it was you that drove Elnaur to his death,'

Elrond forced his eyes open to be met with Brago's reproachful stare,

"You attacked her? Are you sure she is dead, or are you just hoping she is?"

Bragolath swallowed hard, this was not him, he would never have believed he would speak to the Lord of Imladris in this manner, the man who had healed him yet something in the Elf lords eyes spoke of guilt and betrayal.

Elrond could not face him, turning he moved to the window,

"Most likely she is dead, for my archers are well trained and she was most definitely hit. We did not find her body, but she has not returned, nor has any news come of her hereabout."

"She would be unlikely to return here,"

Bragolath's voice was bitter, as he struggled to quell the rage within him,

"Why attack her? She meant no harm? I do not understand Elrond."

"Is it bad enough that I have caused the death of my mother and brother , but to have robbed her of her life too."

He thumped his fist into a cushion on a nearby chair, the pain causing him yo yell out, Elrond turned to face him, his face full of sorrow,

He approached Brag laying a hand gently on his shoulder

"It was not your fault, Bragolath, It was mine, for all these years I have held her guilty of a crime, when I was the one to blame. I banned her from this realm for taking Elnaur, but it is I who am guilty for it was I who drove him from this realm into danger and to his death."

"And yet you have not looked for her, you have no proof she is dead, She could be out there hurt, suffering, will you leave her to such torment?"

Elrond frowned, raising an eyebrow as he studdied the man barely standing before him.

"I have not sought her." Guilt now filled the Elf Lords heart and yet still he made no move.

"Then I shall go seek her." Bragolath,s face was determined yet his body quavered as he tried to force it to move beyond the chair.

"You are in no fit state to travel anywhere yet, for your wound have barely healed, such skill as was given me will soon be undone if you do not allow your body to rest fully."

His arm held tightly around Brago's waist as he half lifted, half guided him back to the Chair. Brago stared up at the Elf Lord, something had changed,

"We cannot allow her to remain out there, if she is alive for she will be a danger to all, in pain no beast can suffer such torment without striking back."

"You mean to kill her?" Brago's voice filled with anger.

"You cannot kill her."

"No . . . No Indeed I can not."

Elrond looked thoughtful.

"I need to make plans."

Before Brago could ask what plans, Elrond had swept out of the room.

Bragolath received the greatest of care, his injury was healing well. Elrond was curious as to why it had been allowed to go untreated and for what reason he had sought out the Blue Dragon. He sensed a great sorrow that in some way mirrored his own, for had they not both suffered the loss of something dear to them?

At first Elrond did not press for details, instead allowing the young man to enjoy his first few days after waking. Time he spent in the gardens, the woods and beside the waterfalls of the hidden realm.

It was when Bragolath came at last to Elrond, seeking information of his own, that Elrond felt he could ask why such a young man sought out a dragon and why he seemed to seek death.

"What ails you son of man? I sense you sorrow, much as I myself have, I would not wish you bear such pain as I have bourne all these long years."

Bragolath looked puzzled.

"But I thought all Elves dwelt in serenity, untroubled by the circles of time, for are you not immortal? Do you not live beyond the time spans of Middle Earth?"

His eyes turned from Elrond as he gazed up to the night sky and sighed.

"You are gifted with another place are you not? When you are weary of life here you are given passage to the west, such is your fortune."

Elrond waited for Bragolath to turn back to him,

"You are young Bragolath," Elronds voice was low and stern,

"Young indeed if you cannot comprehend that imortality brings with it its own pain, for have we not suddered the loss of our dear ones? That loss is ours to bear for all eternity, Did you think we pass our time joyously? No . . . We too suffer and have unless given to sorrow beyond all measure to endure it through all our imortal life."

"Why do you not go into the west?"

Bragolath could not contain his anger, He was angry that these firstbourne did not relish their immortality something they possessed but which the race of man did not.

"I do not go because it is my duty to stay here, to stay until the last of my people have passed into the west, until then I must endure all the suffering of these long years."

Silence filled the air as Bragolath considered Elronds response, he had bourne his sorrow for a few years, how much worse to know it could be many ages before release would be granted.

Elrond watched carefully reading the young mans face.

"You suffer, I can see it clearly, Will you tell me what drove you to seek out the Blue Dragon? For it is obvious you did not seek to harm her or we would not have had you brought here to our Realm."

Bragolath's face flushed with embarassment, should he reveal his reasons? That even in this simple task he had failed. He studdied Elrond, then with a shrug he spoke his voice quiet as if he hoped Elrond would not hear his reply.

"I had hoped to provoke her into doing what I had failed to do. I meant for her to slay me, to finish my wretched life."

"She did not fulfill your request"

"No . . . she . . . well yes she would have but not whilst I was sick, dirty . . . she would not eat dirty food."

Elrond his eyebrow arching, laughed softly,

"She has never eaten the flesh of any beast other than fish, not is it recorded that she has ever slain any but the minions of the Dark Lord."

Elrond felt anger rising he wanted to yell out that she had killed Elnaur, but he knew it was a lie, one he had cultivated to block the pain of his own guilt.

"Where is she?"

It surprised Brago, but suddenly he felt concern for this unlikliest of allies.

Elrond worked quietly and long into the night, when he had finished the wound was clean and sewn together. Elrond was satisfied the wound would heal given time. His careful examination of Bragolath had revealed many such wounds, for a young man he had more than would be considered normal.

What drove this man to seek battles? What torment of mind and soul? There could be no answers yet for Bragolath slept, the herb infusion burning in the glass beside the bed ensuring he rested peacefully. Long into the night Elrond sat thinking, for Bragolath's arrival had stirred memories from long ago, a time when Blue Dragon had sought to bring another to Imladris.

Elrond sighed, they had brought her close to death before, his healing had restored her, he had regretted that often for had she not repaid him by taking one precious to him from the safety of Imladris to war and to death?

And yet in his heart he knew it had not been her fault for it was by his own actions the parting had occurred, it was his fault not hers and yet she had suffered in his wrath. Regret filled him, he should send elves to search for her, and yet some bitter memory prevented it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Carhadras she lay, eyes closed as if sleeping, she could feel the pulse of the earth slowing, she had been waiting, waiting for death to find her. Asleep she had sought to slip quietly from this world, she was long ready, with no mate and no offspring she had lived a long and lonely life, a few bright moments but mostly only deeper sorrow. She was ready.

But she had been woken, the man had stirred her and she once again she found herself curious and thrust into the circles of Middle Earth, for a few brief moments she had relished her awakening but now, now she knew she had been wrong, for now death hunted her and her passing would not be the gentle passing in sleep.


Blue Dragon dreamed, her mind filled with images of the past , slowly she sank into a muddle of pain and torment,

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She was aroused to the sounds of a scuffle in the rooms that the Lord of Imladris reserved for himself. Curious at first, she hastened from the garden to learn the cause, fearing that some evil had by chance come undetected into the very heart of the Elven Realm. She had only just arrived at the steps leading to Elrond's bedchamber when Elnaur appeared, dishevelled and in great distress he hastened, almost fell down the stairs. Faereluth caught him, her eyes looking beyond him for sigh of the danger, but none came.

"Take me away Faereluth, please get me out of Rivendell,"

For a moment she hesitated hoping Elrond would appear and calm the young Elf but after looking down on the frightened Elf she was alarmed by his panicked appearance. She lifted Elnaur in her arms and began to jog towards the path, here she could pick up enough speed to launch into flight, As she turned to leave Elrond appeared his face red and angry, he was yelling in Elvish, Faereluth could not understand but Elnaur understood well enough.

"Please Faereluth get me away." He begged urging her to great haste.

Fearing that Elnaur was in some desperate trouble she took flight climbing steadily with strong wing beats. Elrond was not about to let her leave and ordered his guards to shoot her down.

"She has kidnapped Elnaur." He yelled

"Bring her down lest she harm him."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A deep moan rumbled through the cave, to the one travelling westward it was as if the whole mountain sighed. He was puzzled, he had believed all dragons had passed long ago and yet he sensed her life force all be it weak, approaching with care he came upon the place she lay.

He place a hand upon her thigh he could feel her pain and the raging fever within her, this was not his buisness he was returning home and this was an unnecessary delay. He turned to leave and would have had it not been for the words that drifted into his mind.

"Edhel, tolo si, im bolo si" (Elf, come here, I need you)

In truth her plea was to Elnaur, but to Aruin it was a plea for help and such a plea he would not ignore. He returned to her.

"Tolo si."

He spoke to her mind calling her from the cave out into the light. She had barely enough strength to crawl to the entrance but her spirit drew her and in her fevered mind Elnaur had returned and she would do his bidding once more. She opened her eyes at first she could see only the Elven form before her,

"Elnaur." she whispered

"You came back I . . . I need your help my friend."

Aruin looked upon her, her right wing hung limp its once bright sheen dulled to a grey it was dying and its decay was fueling the fever that ran rampant through her. He approached closer she began to struggle at first he thought she sought to grab him, and he quickly drew his sword.

Her large blue eyes stared at him, slowly tears began to run down her sorry face,

"You are not him, You have come seeking my death?" her voice trembled

"Slay me then, for then my lifes torment will be over."

"I do not seek to slay you Dragon I would help you if you would permit me."

Aruin spoke softly carefully studying the serpents face in case she should be feigning and would suddenly attack.

"Do as you wish . . . for I care not . . . . My wing is gone . . . without it I am at the mercy of all who would seek the glory of slaying a dragon. I beg you if you cannot then find one among Imladris that is willing to make my end swift."

Aruin shook his head,

"I do not think this wing is totally lost yet, the blood supply is blocked here at the break if I could remove the clot and restore the flow we might yet save this wing."

Faereluth raised her eyes she looked fully at Aruin. He looked back at her unfearing, she saw only honest concern and a desire to help in his face.

"Then I will allow you to try."

She carefully tucked her nose under her great neck for she knew that the pain would be great and she feared that in pain she might bite him. With her weight upon her snout she hoped to control her natural instinct long enough to allow the Elf to help her.

Elnaur drew his knife and approached the wing.

She hovered above Imladris, for a moment the fear of returning there caused her to hesitate, she knew them and that they would not let her return unchallenged. Circling slowly she tried to spot them amidst the foliage, maybe she could find an easy path to the sanctuary below. A vain hope, but she searched anyway. After a few moments she knew it was folly, they were well hidden, as any guardians would be, her only hope was to fly in rapidly before they could train their weapons upon her.

Even then she could not be sure of her welcome, would they accept into their care a son of man? Surely they would, he could do them no harm. She swallowed hard,

"Faereluth you are but a coward, if you dont get him to Elrond no other will, delay much longer and his death will be upon your hands."

The words of her heart were harsh but she could not deny them. Taking one last turn she banked sharply and began a steep dive towards the heart of Rivendell, to the House of Elrond and to the help she sought for the man cradled in her arms. The wind wistled past her dragging her breath from her lungs, the first volley of arrows slipping passed her hearalding that the sentries knew she was coming. She beat her wings hard driving herself forward, without heed to the arrows that now rattled on her scaled flanks.

She was closer, now she had to swerve to miss them for they had marked the distance to her and thier shots were both accurate and deadly, she must keep him safe. It was her desperation to do so that prooved he undoing. For in tring to sheild him from one volley a single arrow stuck her right wing, a loud crack signifying the bone had snapped, the wing folded backwards dragged in her slipstream, she was falling now, thinking only of the man she wrapped her good wing around him tucking her head against him and wrapping her great tail around her head.

The arrows began to pierce her without flight she could not avoid them, she would not risk the man so she endured them until she hit the ground. Her fall was heavy, but not fatal, the Man, Bragolath coccooned by her body was saved from injury. Faereluth had still to get him to safety. She rose unsteadily to her feet, The Elves already on their way, she could hear them coming through the trees, sensing their approach she began to run, her broken wing bouncing recklessly along. She felt the flesh rip as she stepped upon it, rending the delicate membrane, still she ran until in the last moments she place Bragolath on the stairway into the great hall. Then taking a moment to lift her broken wing in her jaw she fled out and away from the realm of the Elves.

They did not follow her, for their curiosity was drawn to the still bundle wrapped in Elven silk. She had not been attacking then as they had first thought. She had instead brought what? The body of some unfortunate Elf perhaps. Elrond arrived and stood stunned for a moment, he knew that robe, for it had been given by him, his hand trembled as he reached down to lift the silky fabric, His gasp silencing the chatter among the assembled Elves.

"It . . . it is not an Elf, its a Man, some young man, but . . ." He fingered the robe, for a moment puzzling as to how he came to be wearing this gift, Brago's deathly palour soon drew his attention.

"Take him inside."

His voice seemed shaky but the Elves about him did as he bid them.

He soon knew that it was the Blue Dragon that brought him, so she had kept the robe? Had she kept his body also? He shook his head trying to rid himself of the thoughts tormenting him. He must attend to this ones needs, the past he would deal with later.

He reached out to touch Bragos fevered brow,

"He is very sick." he announced.

Turning to the line of bottles that stood on a nearby shelf. He selected those he needed, hot water, towels and a sharp blade which he placed upon the table. Elrond carefully studdied the young features of the man seeking information as to the sickness that had brought him so close to death.

"Well let us see what fight you have in you, for unless you are strong in spirit all may yet be in vain. I for one have questions that you may be able to answer. Lets see what can be done shall we?"

Elrond drew the robe from the inflamed shoulder, he could see adhered to the surface of the skin small amouts of the moss known as soap weed. He smiled grimly,

"So you tried to help him Faereluth and we repaid you by . . . "


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She struggled to the darkest part of the forest, even here she was not entirely safe. If they wished to find her, her trail was easy to find. Still she could hear no sounds of pursuit. She needed to rest, already her torn wing was begining to throb and the arrows were working deep into her flesh. Some she managed to draw out but others the shafts had already broken and some she could not reach.

She stood overcome by a sense of loss, strangely she already missed the son of man. She closed her eyes trying to recall the weight in her arms, the smell of the new washed skin, his warmth against her skin. Sniffing loudly she rubbed a arm across her tear stained snout.

"Come on Dragon." she whispered

"There's no hope in it, you will always be alone from now to end of days."

She lifted the wing, carefully surveying the damage, this was going to take time to heal. She would need to find a safe place to lie up. Gathering it up she began to move towards the Misty Mountains, her steps were slow and mirrored the pain wracking her body. For hours she wandered blndly until at last she reached a cavern wherin she lay. Closing her eyes and falling into sleep.

She was loathed to wake him, asleep he looked untroubled, free of whatever strife had driven him to seek death at her hands. She laid aside the fish, sitting close, wandering as to the nature of his demise. What in all of Middle Earth could rob a young man of his desire to live? She shook her old head and returned to the pool in which his clothes lay.

She sighed softly as she lifted the garments to inspect them, they were practical clothes, not built for fight or fancy. These were the garments wore in daily life by the race of man. Badly stained it would take her a while to clean them, but she did not mind the task, after many long ages asleep she cherished the idea of doing something useful.

She went to search among the objects upon the shelves, she knew it should still be there, the old bar of soap that she had acquired so long ago, she had carefully stashed it away never thinking it might one day be needed. Just as she reached for it he began to cough, not the early morning hack of the smokers of pipe weed but the painful wheeze of fevered lungs.

Concerned she slipped the soap back onto the shelf and came at once to where Bragolath lay, she could hear at once the shuddering breaths that came intermittently.

"Son of Man, are you sick?" she whispered knowing fully the answer.

She laid an ear against his chest, she could feel the heat in his body, not the warmth of living flesh but the rage of fever. Worried she lifted him gently and with as much care as she could muster she carried him outside to greet the day. As the sun's rays fell upon him she saw more clearly the pallor of his skin, his lips blued by the infection that sought to rob him of each breath.

Her mind was racing now, searching through long years to find a way to ease his malady. There must be some herb, some treatment; it could not be that he would be granted his wish. She looked at him, her great hands trembling, afraid that each breath would be his last.

“Don’t give in son of Man.” She called to him.

“I will find a way, if I can just recall it.”

A hot flush of panic coursed through her, she started to run down the hill, then remembering his things still lay in her cave she ran back, only to decide that they could not be worn. Finally she decided there was only one course of action she could take. Holding him close she began jogging down the narrow path until she came to a wide ledge, by now her speed had increased such that a halt was impossible, she opened her great wings and with a rather ungainly leap jumped off the mountain.

Down they plummeted, the wind whistling pass, warning of the impending impact below. Faereluth gulped, she had been sure she had been able to fly. What was wrong? She cradled the man close determined he at least would be shielded from the jagged rocks rushing up to meet them. Think Faereluth, think she urged herself there’s nothing to be gained getting into a flap, nothing will save you if you panic. She raised her eyes to the sky and with a sudden flash of inspiration she set to beating her wings, a few strong powerful strokes sent her soaring aloft.

With a sigh of relief she turned eastward heading for the one place she had sworn never to return to. She looked down into her arms; he was so pale, unmoving, and cold.

“Don’t you dare leave me and make all this effort futile.”

Her voice was harsh belying the tenderness within her. A sudden thought came to her as she flew onward. She huffed a small fire within her, holding the shivering Bragolath against her; she hastened onwards searching now the familiar landmarks that would guide her to Imladris, to the house of Elrond and to the only hope of cure that she knew.

Long moments passed, at first Faereluth seemed to be sleeping, but there was something, a slight noise on the edge of his hearing, he strained to hear it, twisting his head to try to catch it as it chaced around the cave walls. It was growing, a very low hum. The dragon herself had closed her eyes and was obviously concentrating hard.

As the sound grew the whole cave began to reverberate. She breathed deeply and then with a loud hiss of steam the cave lit to the glow of her scales, The cave roof seemed to blaze with a new light. Looking up the roof seemed to have been covered in a miryad of stars which now reflected in the lake, curiously the rain was stilled and no longer dripped into it.

From the depths of the water something seemed to be swirling upwards, until it lay upon the surface as a white mist. Bragolath looked at the dragon. He eyes were now wide open and she was staring intently into the mist, following her gaze he gasped to see the image of a young Elf.

"Elnaur." she nodded as the scene unfolded. Bragolath watched intently trying to calm the curiosity as to how this was happening and instead concentrate on the vision. In his mind the story was told as his eyes beheld the scenes played out before him.



The Meeting

Stepping down from his fine horse he stood and as the early rays of dawn broke, the light hit his auburn hair turning it to flame red. An Elven figure, he was attired in green and brown garb, his slender body graceful and strong, stood for a moment, allowing his senses to drink in the dew fresh morning air.

For many days now he had carefully tracked them, their trail unmistakable to his keen Elven senses. His hand reached for his bow and readying an arrow he stepped out of the shadow. With quiet step he approached, his eyes beheld her form; no longer majestic or invincible she trembled in misery before him.

Sad eyes begged for release, he raised the bow once more but he had no lust to kill her.

He lowered his bow, then filled with great pity he stepped forward and clasping her giant flank he hugged her. Looking down she gazed into his deep brown eyes and for a moment sorrow mirrored there.

She was a pitiful sight her back raw where the scales were lost, her wings torn and shredded Her noble face bruised and scarred, but she would not rest, she had one duty still to do, one overpowering desire she must fulfil. Stepping forward she lifted one of the tiny forms about her feet and with the gentlest kiss she carried it to where her mate lay.

Placing the infant beneath his huge wing she set to carry the others to him. Elnaur, seeing the toil draining her very life force stepped forward to help, he lifted one little dragonet into his arms, she was small and blue her large night blue eyes already clouding, her shattered body hung so frail in his arms, he could scarce believe the power the years would have granted her.

Elnaur lifted her so that her mother could kiss the tiny dragon child then following the blue dragons gaze he carried her and laid her tiny form next to the one already lying in the shelter of the fathers body, and so between them Elnaur and the Faereluth, (for this was her dragon name) laid her children to rest.

Finally she gathered the remains of the nest about them and to anyone watching then it would have seemed the family was sleeping, watched over by a devoted mother. But this of course was an illusion, for a few moments Faereluth stood delaying her last act. Then finding the sight to painful to bear she set the pyre alight with the last of her strength. She only managed to stumble a few steps before she collapsed and in the reek of the burning bodies she lay awaiting the end.

Elnaur could not bear to see her suffer so, coming to her he sat and taking her great head he lifted it gently onto his lap. Then gently stroking her ears he sang in a quiet voice. Her last moments were to be filled with the love he so longed to share. She opened her blue eyes and gazed into his. In that moment a bond was formed and they both knew they had found reason to live once more.

She was so very weak; Elnaur feared she would be gone by the following morning. He felt a new determination to save her; he had not spared her life just to watch it fade away. What could he do? He did not know how to nurse a dragon back to health. He just knew he must try.

So it was that he took all the Lembas wafers he carried and crushing them he mixed them with a little water, then as gently as he could he smeared the paste onto the dragons snout, she took it, but he feared it was too little to do anything more than prolong her life for a few hours. In desperation he decided to tell her of his life in the hope she would want to hear his story.

Faereluth paused, with sudden realisation that Bragolath was now asleep, she sighed, mmm well perhaps I'll get to tell you more another day. She gathered the sleeping man in her arms carring him to a small cot that had lain unused for may years, there she laid him.

"You sleep, Bragolath, son of man I need to go eat,"

She smiled softly remembering the earllier events.

"I shall see what Human popicicles taste like."

She left to find food, not easy when you have little strength, her wings were too stiff from idleness for flight, so instead she walked. She had forgotten how beautiful the night sky was, here away from all habitation, the velvet sky sparked and winked as the blue moon sailed slowly between ribbons of dusty grey. She sighed content to amble letting her nose draw her ontowards the souns of rushing waters of the River Lune. She could taste the fresh water spray in the air, her stomach grumbled urgently and she in answer hurried on excitedly.

When she finally reached the water she saw with delight that the salmon run had begun, great waves of fish lay busy spawning in the shallow river beds. She would not take those, instead her eyes fell upon the hapless many, who, having spawned now awaited death as was the way with their kind. She began to scoop them up. Although not as nutricious as the others, here were plenty she could eat with little effort on her part. Gorging upon them her hands and snout were soon awash with silvery scales, she feasted till at last she could eat no more, then with a great swoosh she laid down in the water.

It bubbled noisly around her, tickling as it lifted the grime from her body, she felt its coldness reaching her skin and gleefully streched out to allow it into all the cracks and crevices, finally when she could feel it no more she stepped out onto the bank. Spreading her wings in the new dawns light. Any watching eyes would have seen a complete rainbow, would they wonder at such when there had been no rain? No matter for now her thoughts turned to that which lay sleeping in her home, She reached down a lifted one fine fat salmon from the river,

"You'll do happen you'll put some meat on that skinny body." She smiled, and headed back.