Page 103 of Upon Buried Embers
Once the bucket is full, I lift a hand hesitantly, but his snout is right there in an instant, pressing against me as I stroke him in thanks.
“I shall come to you from now on. You’re a good boy.” A growl comes behind me and I turn to find Drogonah watching us. “The other grumpy dragon won’t help at all. How mean!”
Escor huffs, and Drogonah growls, standing up and turning his back to us.
“Do you think we hurt his feelings?” I whisper to Escor, who nudges my head.
Placing the bucket down, I head on over to Drogonah, again, and walk around his large body until I’m in front of him.
His one eye opens, and I kneel before him. “I would always like your help with the heat stones.” He huffs. “Tomorrow, would you do one for me after I hum for Alter?” He yawns, mouth gaping open and I swallow at the sight of so many teeth. A nudge at my side has me looking down at the stone that’s pushed toward me with the end of his tail.
I smile.
“Tomorrow.”
Getting up, I walk away and stop short at Escor waiting for me. The bucket hangs from his mouth by the handle.
“Thank you, Escor.” We walk out of the cave, his head held high, almost like he’s proud of doing this little job.
We make it back to the cabin in no time, and Escor waits outside while I place the stones. This is the fastest I’ve ever done this.
Once done, I make my way back outside and laugh at the patch of now-thawed snow around Escor’s body. He sits near the back steps, waiting for the treat I said I would give him.
It’s just some leftover meat but he’s been salivating since I told him.
“You really are warm,” I tell him, rubbing a hand down his front leg. “Shall I get the trea—”
I pause when I spot something red beneath his back claws. Bending down to inspect it, I realize the red trails up to the cabin, beneath the mounds of snow. It spans the whole back of it.
I place a hand to the ground and dig a little, realizing, to my complete astonishment, that it’s roses.
Frozen roses.
“Escor, look!”
I start digging away the piles of snow along the back of the cabin, Escor helping, or at least, trying to, as we uncover dozens upon dozens of roses along the way.
I’ve never seen anything more beautiful.
Some are thawing more than others, and I have Escor sit next to them, the heat from his body helping thaw the snow.
“They freeze during the winter months, but closer to spring, they come back to life.”
Rohan’s voice comes from behind me, but I can’t take my eyes off the flowers.
“How many are here?” I ask as he greets Escor before he crouches beside me.
“I haven’t counted, dozens probably as they span the right side of the cabin too, and they trail up the walls in spring.”
“And they’re all wild ones?” I look around, imagining them once winter ends.
There’s silence, and I turn to look at Rohan who shakes his head. “My mother’s favorite.”
I want to ask where his mother is, but the pain that flashes across his face, and his solemn tone stops me.
“Will I see them?” His eyes come to mine. “In spring? We go to The Games in spring don’t we? But… will I see them before we leave?”
“With you removing the snow and the heat from Escor’s body, I think they’ll be fully thawed before we leave.”
