Spoiler! :
The winter was chilly, filled with rain. The days were dreary, the sky always overcast. Night came fast. The only food Sre was able to find were the tubers that Jermin had had growing in a small cleared patch beside the house. Hero was loathe to go outside, but on the days when it didn't rain, he'd go run outside and disappear into the woods. A few hours later, he'd come back with a rabbit or some other small animal. There wouldn't be much meat left after Hero was done, but at least Sre would be able to make a broth, chopping up the tubers and making a meager soup.
After a month of this, the weather offered a short break. Going down to the stream, which had swelled with all the rain, Sre took the bedding down and washed them, along with some of the clothing she had started using. Hero had run off to find something to hunt. Sre didn't mind. She worried sometimes, afraid someone would find him and try to hurt him, but then she'd remember how fierce he could be, even hours after hatching.
So lost in thought, Sre didn't notice someone approach until a long shadow fell over her. Gasping, she looked up, dropping the shirt she'd been holding. On the other side of the stream, a giant black lizard looked down at her, its piercing yellow eyes staring at her in curiousity. The lizard beast stood on its powerful hind legs, a belt around its waist with many pouches, and a long wide strip of cloth tucked into it that offered only the most modest covering. The head sported two backward curving horns and many small spikes along the jaw. In a strong hand the lizard man held a long bow.
Sre had never seen one like it. She knew there were all kinds of aliens on the world, but she'd seen only a few, and none so different. The lizard man started down the bank toward her, its thick tail swaying to help it stay balanced. Sre turned to run. She'd rather get a head start than wait and see if it was friendly. But the lizard man's thick voice made her stop.
"You are new. Isss Jermin dead?"
Slowly, Sre turned to look up at the lizard that was easily taller than even Roscrow. It bent its long neck to look down at her. Various bits of ornamental chains and jewels hung from its horns and spikes. Across its chest was what looked like a tattoo of four claw marks. The scales of its body were more pliable than those of a dragon's, more like a serpent.
"Y-yes. He... he died. He let me in his house, and then he just... died." Realizing how bad that sounded, she added in a panic, "I swear I didn't do it!"
The lizard man flicked his wrist, showing he didn't care. "He wasss old. It would have happened without you." His thick voice hissed. Though he spoke her language well enough, it was obvious it was difficult for him. "Name?"
Shyly, Sre told him. He peered at her curiously. "Ssslave," he hissed, pointing to her collar.
Her hand wrapped around it, fear pounding in her chest. What if this beast tried to enslave her? He walked over to her, his clawed feet easily finding traction on the slippery rocks of the stream, the water not quite reaching his long ankles. He stared down at her with those unnerving eyes, making her too scared to even try to run.
"My people do not like ssslavery." He sniffed the air over her. "You are hungry." Sre looked at him in surprise, wondering if he could smell that. As if reading her thought, he added, "Your ssstomach makesss loud noisssesss." He strode past her, heading the way of the small cabin. Quickly gathering the clothing and bedding that she had cleaned, she hurried after him.
Just as she caught up to him, she saw Hero leap out of a bush. He snarled at the lizard man. The alien, however, did not seem at all surprised. Those eyes of his stared down at Hero. Slowly, the dragon quieted his snarls. With a whimper, he sat down in front of the alien, looking at his mother with a quizzical expression. "Your dragon?"
"Yes. That's Hero." Nodding, the lizard man continued to the cabin. Sre and Hero followed him, cautiously looking into the cabin as the alien had to bend over to move about inside.
"Um... can-can I ask your name, sir?" Sre watched as he rifled through the drawers beside the bed.
"Humansss call me Black. Sssarlykien name too complexss." He finally found what he was looking for. It was a necklace made of teeth and bones. Sre had not bothered to touch it. Black carefully wrapped it around his throat, tying it. "Jermin leave thisss for me, sssaid it would presssent for human Yule. He dead now. I'll take. Will alwaysss remember. Crazy human. But good, kind. Alwaysss niccce." Then the Sarlykien peered at her. "You come in? Thisss your home now."
Cautiously, Sre came in. She sat in the chair, looking at the Sarlykien that had to kneel in the middle of the room. "Have you lived out here for long?" she asked nervously.
"Many yearsss. I come here to hunt. Out here to be alone. I sssee Jermin when I want to talk. Sssometimesss I sssee other huntersss. But not asss niccce. You know how to hunt?" His yellow eyes studied her.
"No. I've never hunted before."
For the next few hours, Sre explained how she had come to be here and how she had come upon Hero, who just curled up next to the fire. After listening silently, Black tilted his head at her.
"Tomorrow, we hunt. I teach you everything. Hunt and make you clothesss. Go fish and learn to fight. You know thessse thingsss. I come back in the morning. You sssleep now, little human." He nodded to her, making his way out. Without another word, he vanished into the rain that had started to fall lazily.
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Spring was in the air. Sre could smell it. It was still chilly but not so bad. At least not with her thick clothing and the luxurious cloak Black had taught her to make. He had shown her how to hunt, how to fish, how to skin, and how to sew. He had given her a stick and let her take a few free swings at him. Sre very quickly learned that Sarlykien didn't laugh. Their heads would rock side to side. So great had been his amusement at her attempts to harm him, he'd nearly made himself dizzy.
But she had learned and fast. He said she had a talent unlike any he had seen in other humans. She had a keen instinct. He picked up on it and trained her to use it, trained her to pay attention to it. It had been grueling, but it had all paid off.
Leaving the cabin, Sre smiled when Hero pounced at her from behind a tree. He had grown too big for the cabin over the winter. He could easily look down on her. He could almost look Black in the eyes. He respected the Sarlykien. And Black respected him. Even Hero had learned much. He understood more and more of what was said to him, learned to obey commands. As he was still small enough, he had come on their hunts, stalking along with them. Unfortunately, he often would leap out too soon, forgetting that he was suppose to be hunting, thinking only to chase his prey around to play with it.
As the spring came, Black took Sre to the town that was a full day's walk from the cabin. He told her to keep her cloak tight around her throat. He did not like the thought of slavery any more than she did. He said it brought the worse out of humans. Sre couldn't help but agree with him.
They spent the night near the outskirts of town before heading in in the morning. Black strode with great dignity into town. People greeted him, asking him how the game count was out in the woods, asking if he had heard any interesting stories. He only stopped when a small crowd of children swarmed him. Much to Sre's surprise, the Sarlykien had a tender spot for children. Over one shoulder he carried a load of furs, while on the other he carried a little girl who squealed with delight, the other children asking for rides.
When they reached the tavern, Black gently placed the little girl down. He patted her head when she pouted before ducking into the building. Sre hesitated. She had lived too long in a tavern. But the Groggy Dragon Tavern didn't feel like the one she was used to. It was open and airy, and the sound of merriment and lilting song drifted out, along with a waft of something wonderfully spicy. Finally, Sre entered after Black.
The Sarlykien was already at the bar, looking down at the tavern owner. He was short little man, shorter than Sre. She realized that he was a Balsothian, a race of dwarves. He boasted a thick beard, but a bald head, showing his age. He looked through the furs, a smile on his face.
"Very nice, very nice, I'll take them all. Here you go, my dear friend." The dwarf leaned over, offering Black a small pouch of coins. Then he noticed Sre. "Why, who do we have here? Black, I didn't know you had an affinity for humans!"
"Thisss isss a friend, nothing more. Sssre, thisss be Derikel. He isss a friend. He paysss bessst for the fursss." Black introduced them.
"Only from you, my friend. Here, why don't you remove that heavy cloak...?"
Sre stepped away from the little man. "No."
It was all she needed to say. Derikel held up his hands, backing away. "No problem, no problem. How about you take a seat and I'll bring you both a meal? On the house. Think of it as a show of goodwill and friendship!" Derikel had them sit at the bar, turning to call into the kitchen. Not soon after, he brought out a plate of food that Sre couldn't help but gulp down the extra saliva. Derikel smiled kindly at her. "Eat up! Looks like you need it, my dear."
After they had eaten, Sre cleaning her plate, Black thanked Derikel, leading Sre out of the tavern. He took her toward the market. This town was much bigger and more lively than the sleepy little town Sre had grown up in. There was much bustling and running about, jesters in the street, musicians, magicians, and other interesting characters. Dogs barked and children ran about underfoot. Sre stayed close to Black, not wanting to get lost.
At last they came to the market street. Black stopped, turning to Sre. He took her hand and placed the bag of coins into it. "Thisss I give to you. Ssspend wisssely. The humansss here are very friendly. Do not be afraid. I come back later, when sssun ssstartsss going down." With that, he headed off further into town.
A little nervous, Sre slowly made her way through the market. She peered at all the various things, useful and shiny, food and cloth and equipment. She didn't really know what she needed. A cloth vendor caught her eye. She went over, looking through the types of cloth, wondering what kinds of clothes she could make.
"I think the blue cloth would go with your eyes." Sre looked up at the voice. A handsome young man leaned against the hutch of the bread saler next to the cloth vender. His warm brown eyes looked her up and down. He reached out a hand. "I'm Jasper Dukasen. May I know the name of the pretty lady?"
Shocked for a few heartbeats, Sre shyly offered her hand in return. "Um, Sre." How silly that sounded. She had to curse herself.
"Lovely name." Jasper took her hand and bent down to kiss the back of it. Sre's other hand slipped up to the thick clasp of her cloak, making sure it hid her collar even though the hood had fallen back. Jasper stood back up. "I still think the blue would accent your eyes. Or maybe this, it would go well with your hair."
"Jasper! Get over here and help your old father! I'm not as strong as I used to be." Jasper's eyes rolled back into his head.
"I'll be back in a little bit. Please excuse me." He went into the small bakery that was attached to the hutch and stand.
With a smile, Sre decided to get the fabric that Jasper had mentioned. She then quickly lost herself into the crowd before he could return.
By the time the day was over, Sre was tired. It had been a long time since she'd been around so many people and so much noise. Finding her way to the edge of town before the fields, she stood near a ceramic shop, peering in at the pretty plates and cups and sculptures.
"Fancy finding you here." Sre turned to find Jasper standing by the street that led out of town toward a large house in the middle of a field of green wheat. He held several large bags in his hands. He smiled at her when she turned her eyes away shyly. "You'd slipped away before we could get to know each other better." He came over to Sre. Noticing that she didn't know what to say, he leaned forward, putting the bags on the ground. He reached in, pulled out a sweet roll. "I was going to offer you one before my father called me in to help."
"Are you sure? Won't your father be mad?" Sre peered up at him, not wanting to take something that would get him in trouble.
"Nah. At the end of the day, whatever we can't sell we bring home for the chickens and cows. I think it's better if it goes to you, though." He smiled again.
Hesitantly, Sre took the roll from him. She took a small bite, surprised by how good it was. "Did you make this?"
"I make most of the bread. My father is getting old and can't do as much anymore."
"Sssre." Black's hiss startled them both. The Sarlykien melted out of the darkness into the light given off by the street lamp overhead. He peered down at Jasper with his penetrating gaze. The young man was taken aback.
"While, I, uh, I guess I'll see you around, Sre. Safe travels." He offered a bow before picking up his bags and heading off toward his house.
Black snorted after Jasper. Sre glared at him. "He was being nice!"
"Hardly. He wasss interesssted in mating. He would not be ssso afraid of me otherwissse. Now come, let'sss leave." Together, they headed into the woods. Sre turned to look back at the house in the middle of the field. Maybe Black was right, but she couldn't help to smile. Maybe she'd come into town again sooner rather than later.
I wanna know what happens to Sre!
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