Page 4 of Dragon Sword

I squeezed Will’s hand and caught his attention where I nodded up at the tower. “Why is that. . .that-” My nose began to tingle. I twisted my face about but it was no use. A violent sneeze escaped me, one that forced me to stop and have a fit in the street.

Will waited for me to finish before he clasped my other hand in his. “You’re cold. We should get you to bath and bed.”

“Then hurry along!” Alisa scolded him

I could only nod as he led me after Alisa. Our guide took us toward the cliffs that towered behind the city and a faint scent of water tickled my nose. The walls of the cliffs were damp from natural springs and the coolness of the thick rock. One of those springs poured forth out of a small hole in the rocks and ran down a descending pile of stones to disappear behind a small home. The houses beside the cliff were older with marble stained with countless years of moss and the road being made not of marble but of simple stone like the tower. The homes, too, were smaller than those closer to the canyon and featured small yards with flower beds. Butterflies flew hither and thither filling their stomachs with tasty treats while birds sat in the gnarled branches of the old trees and sang their hearts out.

Alisa guided us to one of these comfortable abodes and led us down a path of small stones to the door. She half-turned to us and smiled. “Welcome to my humble little home.”

CHAPTERTHREE

Alisa openedthe door and revealed a quaint interior with simple rugs and walls filled with all sorts of odds and ends. There were frames filled with dried flowers, paintings of elegant hills and forests, and even one of the city itself with the tower standing tall in the center sans the domed roof, and a few white-painted masks in the shapes of animals hung near the chimney. The fireplace was of the same simple stone as the path and had an assortment of pots and pans at the ready for fast cooking.

The entrance opened into a large room and the other rooms branched off from them. There was a small kitchen with a wood stove and in the wall opposite the front door were two entrances into a pair of bedrooms. A narrow hall between the kitchen and the closest bedroom led to a rear door to the backyard.

Alisa hobbled her way over to the fireplace and poured the bucket of water into a large cauldron that hung in the hearth. She set the bucket down and turned to us with a heavy sigh. “There. That will make a great many soups.”

“What do you think?” Will asked me as he watched me study the room.

I shrugged. “It’s. . .different from the rest of the city.”

Alisa nodded. “This has been my family’s home for many generations, almost before there was a king, or so some books say.” She waved her hand at the picture of the tower. “One of my ancestors even helped build the Vahti.”

I blinked at her. “The what?”

“The tower that rises out of the city,” Will told me. “It means ‘sentinel’ in the elven tongue and was once a watchtower.”

Alisa wrinkled her nose. “Yes, before the guards grew lax in their duties and decided the King’s Mound wasn’t worth watching.”

I looked to Will for another explanation and he smiled. “A burial mound for the first king of the elves. According to legend, he’s buried in the center of a ring of stones on the other side of the canyon and further down the road, though within sight of the Vahti.”

“Did you know him?” I asked my ancient husband.

Will chuckled. “I’m old but not that old. The king in the legend died some seven thousand years ago, a few centuries before even my birth.”

My stomach interrupted any further talk. I set a hand over my growling belly and sheepishly smiled at the pair. “Sorry.”

Alisa sighed. “I suppose I will get something cooking for you, but do not expect a meal out of me every day.” She paused and lifted her eyes to Will. “How longdoyou intend to stay?”

Will shrugged. “We hadn’t discussed it, but long enough to enjoy the sights the elves and your lovely forests have to offer.”

Her wrinkled face drooped. “I will not be having you here for a century.”

My husband laughed and shook his head. “Not that long, but at least a week, if you’ll allow it.”

Our hostess rubbed her chin in one hand and furrowed her brow. “I will allow it but the proper price will go up.”

Will bowed his head to her. “I would expect nothing else. How long will dinner be?”

She shrugged. “About half an hour.”

Will turned to me and offered me his arm. “There’s something I’d like to show you.”

I lifted an eyebrow but looped my arm around his. Will guided me down the hall and out through the back door. I jerked to a stop just past the threshold and gaped at the sight before me.

A small luscious garden stretched from the rear of the house to the rocky, moss-covered cliff face. Flowers sprouted everywhere in a picturesque chaos with ferns and grass sharing the same space. The plants cascaded over small stones that lined the gentle waters of a small spring. The spring filled the air with a sweet scent and fed the short trees that hung their low willow-like branches over the glistening water. I expected the air to be chilly but in fact, the waters warmed the small space.

The spring dipped low and entered into the bottom of a round wooden bath large enough to fit three people. A low board on one end allowed for the excess water to escape, keeping the depth at a consistent two feet. Steam rose from the water and cast a soft mist over the area. It was like a delicate blanket wrapping around me and I couldn’t help but break free of Will’s grasp and hurry over to the barrel. I grasped the edge and peered into the water. The spring was so clear I could see it swirling along the bottom, refreshing the heat. I dipped my hand in and reveled in the soothing heat, just the right temperature for a dip.

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