Chapter Six #2
"I think your friend there had it right when he said that only the dragon being dead will solve the problem. But you'd have to be able to prove the dragon is indeed dead."
"That's easy enough," Euclid said.
Dipak gave him a look. "What in the world does that mean?"
Euclid scoffed then turned back to Abhishek. "If I give you a dragon skull and twenty thousand kesh, will you go out and tell people there is no dragon to be found in the Forbidden Forest?"
"Yes," Abhishek said, staring hard, voice cynical but laced with unquenchable hope. "If you can actually produce all of that, and let my team here leave without further harm, I'll do whatever you want."
Euclid gave a single, sharp nod, and then walked off into the woods.
Abhishek hesitated, then said, "He knows something about the dragon personally, doesn't he? Like where it is or something."
"Yes, he and the dragon are close." Drawing a knife, Dipak sliced through the rope and then broke the magical binding.
"Thanks," Abhishek said. "So you really did kill him?"
"It was that or stand by and let him kill thousands."
"Yeah, I get it."
Dipak rather thought he did. "I'm glad you were amenable to this solution."
"Well, ending the day dead really wasn't all that great an option, and I'm not going to argue being able to drop off a skull and then go literally wherever I want with my newfound wealth."
Euclid reappeared then—and on the ground beside him was an enormous skull, unmistakably that of a dragon, worn and covered in moss. He tossed a leather bag to Abhishek, who caught it deftly, tossing it lightly without opening it. "Jewels? There's more than twenty beads in here."
"Beads? Why would I give you beads?"
Dipak smiled as they both stared at each other in confusion.
"Bead is slang for coins. Newer coins have a hole in the middle to mark them out from older coins that are easy to forge.
People put them on strings like beads. You probably don't see them out here, since you've no use for them as we all deal in trade. "
"Ah. How clever. There is indeed more than twenty thousand in value, payments for your friends as well, assuming you don't keep it all to yourself."
"I won't. I could not care less about the rest of the Bloodletters, but these six are my team. I'll look after them. Thank you. If you can help me get them to the edge of the forest, I can handle the rest from there. We have a cart almost dead east of here."
"I marked it," Euclid said. "I'll handle it from here, Dipak, and meet you back at your glade."
He saluted playfully. "As you wish, my lord."
Once Euclid had taken them all away, hauling them one by one, Dipak made the short trek home.
By the time Euclid joined him, he had tea ready by the pond, on a flat, smooth rock that Euclid had put there as a sort of table. It had become their spot, somehow, though neither of them ever said anything about it.
He also hadn't said anything about that night he fell asleep, with Euclid right there in his true form like the best sort of magic heater. A show of trust that Dipak hadn't really earned but was desperately trying to.
"I'm glad we found such a relatively simple solution, but please tell me why you had a dragon skull lying around."
"I didn't," Euclid said. "I had to go much, much further afield for that.
An ancient dragon graveyard where we all are taken when possible, even if it's only a single finger bone that can be managed.
The rest of that dragon is there, undisturbed by naught but time, and she would gladly offer her dried out skull to ensure another dragon lives. Any of us would."
"You can travel like that just anywhere?"
"I can do it best in my forest, where I know all the paths, but when needed, yes, I can find paths for other places.
People describe it as transporting, some sort of instantaneous movement from one place to another, but I am being sincere when I say I simply walk paths you can't see.
Not magic in and of itself, but not unrelated either. I'll teach you."
"I hope the headache and dizziness go away."
"With time."
"Fantastic. Sit and have some tea, dragon. Easy solution or not, it's still emotionally exhausting to haul around the corpse of your own to save lives."
Euclid smiled.
Dipak poured them tea as they settled in, the evening fireflies flickering around them, the rustling in the forest increasing as the evening and night creatures stirred. "So this glade is clearly protected; nothing dangerous ever enters it."
"Less magic and more respect, though yes, there are some protections laid around the perimeter so the stronger creatures do not disregard that this space is important to me and not to be disturbed."
"Important to you?"
"Yes, all the places where people live in my forest are protected.
This place first was used by a human many, many years ago.
He built the first cabin, cleared out the rubble and more in the waterfall cave and made it usable.
Since then, other humans have come and gone.
The first cabin was destroyed by a storm, and the second by fire, but this third one has lingered long.
I knew you would like it. That is why I led you to it. "
Dipak's mouth quirked. "You did lead me, didn't you? I thought you were following me, but you were helping the whole time. I don't know I ever traded for that help."
"I do not require payment for making certain people don't die," Euclid said with one of his imperious scoffs.
"Anyway, having an actual hunter in the forest makes a good deal of difference.
Dragons are foragers rather than hunters, though of course, most so-called experts would tell you otherwise.
And while a few of the others can manage somewhat with traps and such, nobody is capable of bringing down deer, pig, the larger prey that are so much more useful for everyone.
So you are welcome to this home for as long as you need and want it. "
"Thank you. Solstice is just five days away. I'll catch everything you need the day before."
"I appreciate it."
Euclid had long since delivered blankets and the boots, which were fine stuff, better than any pair he'd ever owned, good leather, treated for harsh weather and lined in the softest rabbit fur. They would keep him well for a long time.
"Do you miss the city? Well, stupid question. What do you miss most?"
"I miss having more time to read, practice magic, things like that. Sweet things. You aren't going to find candy and cakes out here, though I can make my own once I have more baking supplies and ingredients. No, I am not giving you a list right now, get that gleam out of your eyes, dragon."
Euclid pouted slightly in that infuriatingly adorable way of his, but let the matter drop.
For the moment. He'd bring it up again in another day or two.
He really did love his trading and bargaining and countless moving pieces.
If he'd been a general, he'd have won every war he fought.
Thankfully, he'd never have to waste his life on such a miserable calling.
"Moonlight. Kingslayer. Wonder what title you'll acquire next."
Dipak groaned. "Hopefully none. Two is already too much. Drink your tea. I'll get us some dinner made, and then maybe we can work out what we'll do in case other mercenaries start showing up despite our efforts."
Euclid brightened like a child who knew they were about to receive sweets or a new toy, except there was nothing truly childish about Euclid at all. "Rabbit?"
"Of course, that's why I caught four of them. I'll start the roasting."
"I'll get the fire going."
"Thanks."
It was all so normal and domestic, fireflies and tea and working together, that he ached for a home long in the past, a home he'd left for a chance at a better life but always sort of missed despite himself. If his parents could see this, they'd be proud of him, despite all he'd lost.
He supposed there was a lot to be said in that.