Standing in front of the mill, they could see the field where the army was now making camp. They spent two nights in the field, before packing up one very early morning, and riding out at dawn. The town returned to daily life, as did Lucas. His mother’s condition worsened. Day and night she spent coughing in bed. Lucas had discovered blood in her handkerchief and on her sheets, but she waved it away as if it were nothing.
Despite her rather odd comments about it, Rosemary started spending more time with Lucas. Not because they were both outcasts, she claimed, but because she didn’t mind having a friend. Lucas wasn’t sure he could consider Rosemary a friend. She tended to speak her mind, and her mind had seldom something kind to say. She seemed oblivious to her blunt manner of speaking, but Lucas could tolerate it. He had no choice. He feared she’d stop helping him with laundry if he told her how he really thought, and she’d been a great help. He also finally learned what she meant when she told him she was fond of nature. She could easily recognize different herbs and plants, and used them for interesting things. She had a cabinet filled with glass jars, which all contained some sort of goo. They were labeled, but Lucas couldn’t read, so he had no idea what they said.
“Would you like to learn?”
“Learn what?” Lucas asked. He and Rosemary had been walking past the open field, on their way back from another trip to the forest to collect new herbs. They had been quiet, when Rosemary suddenly asked that question. “To read,” Rosemary said, “I know you can’t. But you’ll need it if you want to travel.”
“Hm? Really?” Lucas asked. Rosemary nodded. Another silence fell between them. Neither one sure what to say next. Rosemary failed she had insulted Lucas again. His thoughts were so easily read on his face, and she knew she could come over quite mordant. She observed him from the corner of his eyes, but he showed no particular emotion which she could use to unravel his thoughts. Distantly, they heard the hooves of a horse galloping along the road, and somewhat instinctively, they both moved to walk in the grass. Curious, Lucas turned around to watch who rode by, and abruptly stopped. Rosemary bumped into him and looked around as well. She gasped. The lone horseman that galloped towards them was covered in blood, and his armour was incredibly damaged, the metal being shred to pieces, as if it was just cloth. Rosemary ran onto the road, and obstructed the horse’s path. It staggered, whinnying loudly. the knight on her back nearly falling off. Rosemary grabbed a hold of the harness around its head, and pulled it’s head near hushing the frightened creature. Lucas approached the knight, catching him as he fell off. He had difficulty breathing, and seemed more dead than alive when Lucas removed his helmet. “Are you alright, sir?” Lucas asked.
“He’s wounded, of course he’s not alright!” Rosemary said.
“Well don’t just stand there, fetch the doctor!” Lucas said. Rosemary nodded and mounted the horse so she’d arrive faster. Lucas stayed behind with the wounded knight, who had cracked his eyes open and squinted at him. “Um...help is on the way, sir,” Lucas said, not sure what else to say or do. The knight weakly shook his head, his hand grabbing a tight hold of Lucas’ arm, while the other groped around his own bloody chest. “S-sir?” Lucas said.
“F-flee,” the knight uttered, “it’s….coming…”
“W-what’s coming?” Lucas asked, starting to feel nervous. Was this knight part of the army of a hundred strong that rode past half a moon ago? Where were the others? Which fight had he fought to end up like this? The knight finally found what he had been looking for, and snapped something off of his neck. “Take this….give it...give it to...my father…” he said, his breathing growing more ragged as a pained expression showed on his face. He handed Lucas a peculiar pendant, the likes of which he had never seen before. A two-headed eagle with its wings spread, its talons resting on the circle that surrounded the bird. And when turnt around, one could see an odd, six-pointed star, hidden from sight by the eagles heads, wings and talons. Lucas looked back down at the knight, wanting to ask what this pendant meant, and who he should bring it to exactly, but the knight wasn’t breathing anymore. He was dead. “S-sir?” Lucas softly said. This was his first time witnessing someone die, and although he was but a stranger, it hit him hard. What happened to this man for him to meet such a fate? Dying in the arms of a stranger on the side of an unknown road. Having to hand off a valuable piece of jewelry in the hopes it would make it back to his kin. Slowly, Lucas wrapped the chain around the pendant, and put it away in his pocket. He decided to only show it to Rosemary. Perhaps she would know what to do with it. He stood up, planning to return to the town, when a distant roar made him freeze in place. Never before had he heard a sound so threatening, so terrifying. He heard it again, sounding far louder this time. A rigor spread through his body, making him tremble to the point that he couldn't move. Could do nothing but to stand and watch as a ginormous creature appeared at the horizon. Scales as black as a moonless night, eyes as red as the flames it breathed, its roar the very definition of fright, its fury upon all it saw unleashed.
“LUCAS!”
Rosemary rode as fast as the horse would let her push it, whispering words of encouragement to both the horse and herself as she sped to her friend’s aid. The horse halted with a stagger, and Lucas clumsily climbed on. “Hold on,” Rosemary said, driving her heels in the horse’s flanks, causing it to race off again. The dragon roared behind them. Lucas wrapped his arms around Rosemary’s waist and looked over his shoulder. The road was exploding behind them, the flames quickly catching up to them. “Rose!” Lucas yelled, not sure how a warning could save them. Rosemary looked behind them as well, and dug her heels harder in the horse’s flanks. “HIYA!” she yelled. Miraculously, the horse gained even more speed, and they managed to clear the flames, but they were by far not out of danger yet. A shadow swept over the town. People were screaming and running to hide in their homes, as the dragon landed on the other side. Rosemary halted the horse in the middle of town, near the well. The dragon roared, and Lucas could see the flame ignite in the back of it’s throat. They had nowhere to run, and nowhere to hide...or did they? Lucas pulled Rosemary off the horse, and dragged her down into the well. The water broke their fall, and when the top of the well was ripped off by the violent flames that incinerated the entire town, the two of them dove underwater to avoid being burned. Beneath the surface, they looked at each other. Neither of them sure of what to feel or think. Suddenly it became dark, which could only mean the flames had gone. They surfaced, gasping for air. “What—” Rosemary started, but Lucas cut her off when he slapped his hand over her mouth. She glared at him, to which he pressed his fingers against his lips, before carefully looking up. Half of the well had been ripped off, and the growling of the dragon echoed down to them, followed by a gush of wind paired with the beat of its enormous wings. The dragon was leaving. Lucas lowered his hand and joined Rosemary in a relieved sigh. “We made it,” she softly said. Lucas nodded. “How?” Rosemary asked. Lucas looked at her. “We jumped in the well,” he said, gesturing towards their current surroundings.
“Yes, but how did you know that would work?” Rosemary said. Lucas opened his mouth to answer, but nothing came out. Why did he think that would work? “I heard about it in a story,” he slowly said, as a memory slowly dawned on him, “in the story a young man was chased by a dragon, and he was the sole survivor of a town...because he jumped in the well to escape the flames.”
“Goodness,” Rosemary said, “the similarity is almost peculiar.”
“We’ll see how similar it really is,” Lucas replied grimly, before finding a way to climb out of the well.