Leaping from his seat, Patrick raced to the guard panting by the door. “Where is it?” He had to yell over the din to be heard.
The man pointed towards the door. “In the field to the south of the village. The men were just forming up their line when I left.”
“My sword.” Patrick turned back so he could go get his weapons.
A young girl held his sword for him. “Here, My Lord.”
He looked at the weapon. It was definitely the one he had left in his room. How had she known where to get it? Stunned, he took it with a quick word of thanks. He didn’t have time to worry about that now. Belting the sword to his waist, he ran out the door.
“My Lord!”
Patrick turned at the title. He was starting to get used to it. A bucket of cold water splashed into his face, driving the air from his lungs. Another spilled down his back, drenching his clothing. He should have expected that. A third hit him in the chest. Now they were just goofing off. He opened his mouth to snap at the men. The water was needed, but they should have given him at least a little warning.
“My Lord.” The soft voice cut through his ire, and the bucket wielders beat a hasty retreat as Kathryn distracted him.
He stilled as she stepped close to him.
She reached for his hand and placed something in it. “Here.”
Looking down, he discovered two smoke packs—smoke packs he distinctly remembered giving to Daniel. He raised his free hand and curled it over hers. The feel of her delicate hand in his made his blood warm. The noise around him fell away as he looked into her blue eyes. Their color had deepened with fright laced with a touch of desire. Oh, how he longed for an opportunity to push that fear from her heart. “Thank you.” He breathed the words as he caressed her hand. Her breath caught in her throat, making her bosom swell slightly. Just one step would bring him close enough to pull her in for a kiss. His foot moved of its own accord, but the cry of a horse cut through his desire, and the sounds of the world came rushing back in.
“My Lord.”
Patrick turned his head to see two men waiting for him. One held his horse and the other his battered shield. He hadn’t had time to repair it, but it would be better than nothing.
“Be safe, My Lord.” Kathryn stepped away, pulling free of his hand. A blush kissed her cheeks.
So she had been affected, too. He smiled to himself before turning to his men. Grabbing the oversized shield, he leaped onto the bare back of his horse. Thankfully, someone had taken the time to bridle the animal. He kicked into its sides, sending it racing towards the town. Once he had subdued the dragon again, he would be back to pursue his fair maiden.
Fear clenched at her heart as Kathryn watched her lord gallop away. Several other men joined him in his haste, but her eyes followed Patrick. She tried to tell herself that the fear was for the village, but she knew that was not the case. She worried her lower lip with her teeth. It had taken every ounce of self-control to keep from begging him to stay. She couldn’t bear the thought of him being injured by the dragon again.
A warmth at her side drew Kathryn’s attention from the retreating party.
Lillian stood next to her, watching the men. “Do you like him?”
“Of course not,” Kathryn answered flippantly.
“Then why do you look so forlorn?”
Kathryn turned widened eyes to the other maiden. Am I that transparent? “I worry for the safety of our lord and his men,” Kathryn answered as she turned back towards the castle.
“Of course,” Lillian said sarcastically.
“Our continuing security depends on them winning this day,” Kathryn pointed out.
“So your countenance has nothing to do with our good lord Mylan?” The way Lillian said that made Kathryn pause and look at her. There was a suggestion there that the older woman did not like.
“Of course not,” Kathryn snapped. “Come on.” She turned to stride purposefully into the great hall. “There is much to do before they return.”
And there was. The chaos of the men’s departure had left the great hall in shambles. It would take them a while to set it right.
Sliding from the horse, Patrick slapped the beast on the rump, sending it back to the castle. It was smart. It would find its way home. Hefting his battered shield, he loped towards the line of men formed up outside the south edge of town.
The dragon paced the field where they had first stood off.
“Report!” Patrick barked as he came to the line.
The creature’s head turned at the sound of his voice.
“It landed a few minutes ago,” one of his men answered. “It’s been pacing back and forth, but it hasn’t advanced on the village.”
Nodding, Patrick watched the dragon. What was it waiting for?
The creature pinned him with its eyes.
“What are you going to do?” Daniel asked as he stepped up behind Patrick. They had talked about ways to kill the beast if it attacked the village again, but this wasn’t attacking. How could he kill a creature for just showing up?
Patrick stepped through the line of men and out into the field. “Find out what it wants.”
He stopped about halfway to the dragon and considered it.
The dragon cocked its head the other way and considered him.
“Dragon!” Patrick yelled. “Have you come to surrender?” One could always hope.
Pawing the ground, the creature scraped deep furrows in the dirt with his claws. “Maidens,” the thing growled in a voice that was almost too guttural to understand.
If this creature had ever had a human side, it was long out of touch with it.
“There are no maidens here,” Patrick yelled back.
The dragon growled and shot him an accusing stare.
What the hell did it think he had done to the maidens?
“Maidens,” it growled again.
“There are no maidens here,” Patrick explained. “They’re safe in my castle.”
The creature extended its long neck and looked up at the large, stone structure.
“Don’t even think about it,” Patrick growled.
Drawing in a few deep breaths, the dragon stoked its fires. Smoke trickled out of its nose as it turned its attention back to Patrick. “Maidens,” it rumbled again.
“No,” Patrick yelled, “you may not have the maidens.” He clenched his shield, ready for the attack he could see coming.
Digging its claws into the ground again, the dragon lowered its head and spread out its wings. It thrashed its tail and let out a mighty roar in challenge.
Patrick threw his hands back, bent forwards at the waist, and answered with a roar of his own. His human voice was nothing compared to the echoing sound of the dragon, but he put all of his heart into it. Just the fact that the beast had landed in the field showed it held respect for Patrick’s claim on the town. He would meet this challenge with whatever it took to defend that claim. “The maidens are mine, and you shall not have them!” Patrick screamed.
Desperation filled the creature’s eyes as it pawed the ground franticly. “Maidens.” There was a note of begging in the creature’s voice. There was something not right about this. What could drive a dragon to beg?
“No.” Patrick stood firm in his decision. He could not let this creature kill any more people.
The dragon snorted at him before kicking into the air and taking flight.
Patrick spun back to face his men. “Find horse and follow it!” he yelled. “I want the lair found now!” That thing inside him that didn’t sit right with his dragon was screaming at him now. There was more going on here than he knew.