Chapter Ninteen: Escaped!

One year ago today he thought.  Torch has had a lot of time to think.  His baby’s are yearlings now, almost fully developed.  Their height and weight will keep going until they reach their maturity at two years, but inside they are completely developed.  If they were alive only a week or so .....ha ha, just run down to the battlefield, and fetch her home...right.  What had he been thinking?  Oh yeah, he hadn’t thought, not at all and has paid for it, in flesh and blood, for the last year.

            The beatings and demanding of answers to their questions has tapered off the last few weeks, so maybe they have grown bored with their torture.  Of course his food and water has also grown scarce.  If it weren’t for the young one bringing him water every day or so he would have been dead long ago.  Meals are still a luxury though, because it was harder for the little one to sneak it to him.  Luckily the rat problem down here in the dungeon has supplemented the lack of food for him.

            He looked down at the chains around his ankle, it looked fragile and easily broken, but he just did not care.  Where would he go?  Where is he now?  He did not even think of going home, he would never find it without help and asking for help, a year ago had gotten him here.  Talk about brotherly love helping out a stranger, X‘phis, just pointing a finger in the right direction.  Well it was his own fault, he never should have left the Lair.  He was sure Lea had been home already, but he was equally sure they’d given up the search for him.  He was going to die here with only the rats to appreciate it.  He laughed to himself..... he’d been eating them for months now and soon they could eat him in return.

            Looking over himself he did not think anyone back at the lair would recognize him, gone was the soft weak dragon, and in its place was a dragon of substance.  He had bulked up a lot!  With nothing else to do every day, Torch had started doing push-ups, then when that bored him; he did pull ups with the rafter’s help.  Sit-ups came next with leg lifts.  Then one day he put it all together and he started a routine of a little of each exercise.  It lasted about an hour each day, but the days were still long with nothing to do but be tortured some more.  He increased his time at exercise each day until now he just does it by habit, all day long, yeah he had bulked up a lot.  His muscles were long and lean due to the lack of nutrients, but it suited him just fine.  He was ready to make an attempt to overcome the guard when they come for him next time.  They were soft ones now, he knew today was his weekly feeding day, and it offered the only time the guard would be distracted enough for him to make a move.

            The scream slammed into his head with such force he fell to his knees.  What the hell was that?  As he lurched to his feet the words were quieter.  Glenna was dying, what?  Who is this in his head, and why was Glenna dying?  He noticed through the bars of his cell that the other dragons were still on the floor in agony from the scream.  This was his chance to make a move.

            The chain snapped easily, just as he thought it would.  He tore through the rusted bars like a knife through butter, and grabbed the closest guard to him.  Grab the head and twist, snap his neck, and on to the next guard, All five dead in less than a minute.  Yeah he was definitely not the same Torch that left the lair one year ago.  He smiled to himself as he looked around at the carnage.  Now who was that in his..... the thoughts stopped, of course Leona.  If she could reach him, could he reach her?  How was it done?

            “I am here Leona, please hear me.”  Torch spoke aloud.  Nothing, not even a spark of her thoughts came back at him.  “Well he never claimed to be telepathic.  It seemed like a one way connection only.

            “Well huh, now what?”  Torch started up the long staircase to the outside world.  Sunlight, just breaking dawn.  He moved quietly against an outer wall searching for a way out.  ‘There's a gap left open for servants’.  He thought.  It opened to a small garden, but beyond the flowers was another wall.  He looked for another gate or opening and found it buried under ivy right across from him.

            “You had better hurry, they will be waking soon”, a small voice said.

            Torch spun around and spotted the young one that sneaked him food and water.

            “Thank you for all you have done.”  Torch spoke.

            “You cry for your children, and to me that means you are a good father.  When you get home, send for me, and we will be even, o.k.?  My name is Stone, and I have been a slave here since birth.”  He offered.

            “How old are you Stone?  Where is your family?”

            “I’m almost a year old, soon I’ll be growing too big for the guards to ignore, and there is no telling what they will do then.”  He replied.  “I have no family, they were all killed during the wars, I guess.  I know my mother was a servant here, and I am the product of her and one of the soldiers.  She died not long after I hatched, when another soldier attacked her.”  Stone went on.            “I am both a servant class and a warrior class, but as you could tell, I will appear as a warrior when I reach my second year.”

            “Yes, I thought you older, just reaching your full size, but you are right, you will be a larger, much larger dragon then a servant class one.  Come with me now, and we will make good our escape.”  Torch urged the young dragon.

            “You would have me come with you, knowing I will slow you down?”  The young male asked.

            “You have kept me alive for months now, it is the least I could do.”  Torch answered.

            “Who are you that they tortured you for so long and remained a prisoner after?”  Stone asked.

            “I am Torch of the Royal Class, and I am life mated to the last pure Red Dragon.  She is the reason I am here.  I was searching for her a year ago, and asked the wrong dragons if they had any knowledge of her.  It seemed they had very bad memories of Lea, my mate, and enjoyed taking it out on me.”

            “You’re royalty?  Oh sire-----” Torch cut him off.

            “Quiet!  Don’t ever bow to me.”  Torch exclaimed.  “It is too dangerous, and besides I am only an Earl, not a Prince.  But I am the father to the Red Dragon race, and that knowledge could get us both killed.  To you, I am just Torch, o.k.?”

            “O.K., let’s go now before it is too late.”  Stone urged.

            “Can you fly young one?”  Torch asked.

            “Can I fly?  Just try to keep up old man” Stone dared him.

            Dawn sparkled off of their wings as they took to the sky.  Stone had overheard the guards talking about the war their clansmen were engaging in.  The battlefield was a day’s flight to the north of where they were now.  Torch decided to play the part of a Dignitary with Stone as his Page, and with that covered, they made for the battlefield.  It was a long flight, but Stone kept up with Torch, and when he noticed Torch struggling, Stone asked for a short break.  Landing in a small clearing surrounded by forest seemed safe enough.

            The battle noises were heard, coming from the north west of their rest area, they had to be close to a base camp.  Base camps are always within a runner’s reach, so that plans and such could be dispatched back and forth.

             “Ahahah---ah.”  The battled cry was strong, but also feminine.  A female warrior.  Torch thought; don’t find them very often!  Could it be his Lea?  No, her cry is blood curdling, and this cry he heard was more disciplined, with more purpose behind it.  A specific “calling” not random the way most battle cries are.

            “Did you hear that too?”  Stone asked.

            “Yeah, it can’t be far now let’s get going.”  Torch answered.                      

            Just as they lifted off, the clearing was overrun by every animal in the forest.  Bears, cougars, stages, wild boars, rabbits, squirrels and even snakes, the sight was amazing.  What was going on that the entire forest was running together towards the North?  A fire?  No, there was no smoke.  Hunters?  No, why would every animal run away?  What if they were running too not away?  The battle cry they heard started again, “Ahahah----oh”, It was very loud and resonated in Torch's chest with the strength of it.  Suddenly birds surrounded Torch and Stone.  Hundreds, no, thousands of birds of all types.  Ravens, hawks, falcons, crows, blue birds, cardinals, seagulls, doves, and more all swarming past torch and Stone.

            “I think we are going in the right direction,” Stone offered.

            “Yeah, ya think?”  Torch asked sarcastically.  “Let's follow the animals and birds, and see what’s up with that battle cry.”

            The forest opened to a large valley, where two armies were engaged in fierce fighting.  One dragon would go down and be replaced with another on both sides.  Hundreds of dragons engaged in battle, was a sight to behold.  Just a short distance from the fighting was a small hill, and Torch and Stone turned to land on it.  Suddenly the birds swarming the skies arched downwards, diving into the battle below.  Dragons distracted by the birds, started to swing at them, then more birds dived and began pecking tearing dragon flesh with their claws, and confusing both sides of the battle.

            “Ahahah-----ah!”  The cry could be heard by every dragon on the field, and as they looked toward the small hill, animals of every race, creed, size and shape poured over the hill, and charged the battlefield.  Dragons stared open mouthed at the spectacles rushing toward them. When the first cougars took down a dragon and was ripped apart by the big cat’s claws and sharp teeth, the dragons started to back up.  Dropping weapons and abandoning the field came too late.  The animals were attacking everyone, feasting as they ripped out throats, birds pecking eyeballs, and going after the next dragon with the precision of an army of their own.

            Torch and Stone watched from the sky at the decimation of both armies.  Landing softly behind the officers of this side’s army, Torch noticed them gaping out at the battlefield.  It was an unbelievable sight, and they couldn’t stop staring.  When the carnage started to slow down, and cries and moans coming from the field was quickly silenced by a quick slash of a claw.  A small pretty dragon with a chain around her ankle lowered her wings, and scooped up a miniature dragon, and placed her on her back.  The pretty dragon wrapped her wings around the tiny one.  She faced the Captains, Dignitaries, and Clan Leaders. All of them one by one slowly turned to the pretty dragon and tried to speak, only to find they had no voice.

            “Oh yeah, here you go.”  The pretty one said.  The males all choked and sputtered trying to speak.  Finally one stepped up and faced the pretty one.

            “What are you going to do now?”  She demanded.  “Do you still think my sister and me are helpless?  Still think we will consent to being your slaves?  Raping us and using us when we get older?  Well!  What do you say?”  Her voice carried over the entire valley, making the animal’s growl, just waiting for new orders from their master, the pretty one.

            The Clan Leader pushed away from the others, and fell to his knees in front of her.  “You are my liege from this day forward, I so swear fealty to you, and no other.  You are my Queen”  The pretty one, cut off his speech.

            “No, I am not your Queen.  There is only one Queen, and she happens to be my sister,”  The pretty one spoke in a commanding voice.

            “Mara?  Is that you?”  Torch asked quietly, afraid to draw attention, but too happy to not risk it.  “Missy too?”  He asked.

            Slowly Mara turned, and looked at the brown dragon that had landed behind her during the carnage.  He was a large warrior class dragon, but slender and sleek, not bulky and muscled up in a huge way.  He had rust colored accents on his flesh, and tattoos down his tail slave tattoos.  He was very beautiful for a male dragon, was it grace or just dignity that radiated from him?  Both she decided.  She immediately felt a kinship with him when she recognized his tattoos, and compared them to hers.

            “Mara?”  He asked again.

            “Yes my name is Mara.”  She slowly answered him.  “And yes this is Missy asleep on my back.  My ability always seems to tire her out.”  Mara offered.

            “How do you know me?  Who are you?  How did you get here?”  She asked all in a rush.  “No one here knows our names, we are just slaves being bought and sold, back and forth for their amusement.  Missy is a very fast courier for them, and I can read and hunt for them sometimes.  Basically Missy has kept them from separating us or worse.”

            “And today's main attraction?”  Torch asked with a dry humorous smile.

            “I got tired of being threatened by these mean, ugly, ignorant males.  Always saying how good it will be when they mount me, and I should consider myself lucky, etc. etc.”  Mara stated angrily.  “Who are you?”  She demanded.

            “I am your cousin Mara, Torch.”  He told her.

            Mara gasped and stepped back to look at him.  “That is not a very nice joke, in fact it was said in poor judgment at the least, and to be so cruel at the most.”  Mara shook her head.  “I  was only a few days old when Torch and his hatchlings went missing.  The hatchlings were found just recently, but Torch disappeared, never to be found.  Lea, his life mate is missing also, and Paolo and Marta are so sad, they do bad things for attention from Saber or Cherna.  Paolo is drunk every day, and I think Marta has a mate at the Castle.  She always comes back to the nursery smelling of being mated.”  Mara said sadly.

            Torch was speechless, what has become of his hatchlings.  Who cared for them this long, painful year?

            Behind him a voice spoke out, “No, Torch is Royalty; you cannot deny him.  He saved me, and we are returning to the Castle where his cousin Bella is the new Queen.”

            Again Mara gasped, how did they know her family?  Mara stared at Torch, looking for some clue as to who this dragon really was, because Torch, he isn’t!  The voice came from behind Torch, to face Mara, as he came around Torch stepped sideways, and his unusual wings were visible.  Torch’s wings were enclosed by a hard shell that opened up for flight showing dark reddish brown.  They were one of a kind, as no other dragon in the Realm had wings like Torch’s. 

            “It’s really you?”  Mara asked.  “Where have you been?  What has happened?  You are so different, so strong and-----”, she trailed off.

            “Yeah I’m sure I’ll get that a lot when I get home.”  Torch replied sarcastically.

            Mara looked him over again, and as she took in the changes her eyes were again pulled to his tail.  “You were a slave, weren’t you?”  She asked.

            “Not really, I did no service for my keepers, mostly just beat on and starved.  If it weren’t for Stone here, I would have died months ago.  He gave me food and water to help me stay alive.  It was a small cell with nothing to do, so I exercised every day, all day long till I could bust out and escape.  Stone came with me.”  Torch finished.

            Mara looked at Stone and saw him staring at her, she was used to that, but him, his staring made her nervous.  He was not quite as old as she was, maybe just a month away from yearling.  He would be a large warrior class dragon by this time next year.  His colors were beautiful, if a little different, he was a dark, very dark, blue that almost looked like black.  He probably did look black after sunset.  He had soft gray accents with a little bit of soft blue.  His eyes were sky blue, and he had a mane of ivory cascading down his back.  He would be a very large warrior, like her grandfather Saber, when he was fully-grown.  He smiled at her like they shared a joke, and it irritated her enough to turn away. 

            Through all this time, the Clan Leader and now his companions all kneeled to Mara awaiting her decision.  Mara looked at them, and commanded her chain be removed, a captain hurried to do so.

            “My Liege”

            “Don’t call me that!”

            “Milady, you are at the farthest reaches of the Dragon Realm.  It would take months to reach the Castle, and that would be at a very fast march.  The dragons that have survived today would be exhausted to say the least.  To move an army so very far away is not easy.  It takes planning for water holes on the trail, enemy camps along the way, and food supplies.”  He finished.

            “Who said you and your army were going?”  Mara asked.

            “We go with our liege, no matter what the circumstances are.  This is your army now and I am your servant.”  He stated.

            Mara blinked in surprise.  “This is my army?  O.K. tomorrow Missy will fly out and scout the area for marching, and the army goes with her along to guide it.  You and I, she points to the Clan Leader, are going to have a little talk about fealty.  Your Captain scours the battlefield for any sign of life, and take the wounded to the healers.  From today on you captains will care for the soldiers like they were your own sons.  The animals keeping watch from the forest will keep you honest about who can be saved and who can’t be saved.  For those poor souls, a quick and clean death would be welcomed.”  Mara stopped to take a breath.  “Tonight we bed down here, and tomorrow we start the journey.”  She finished.