“My name is Patrick Mylan.” His voice echoed around the village square. “I wish to speak with the head of the village.”
A murmur circled the townspeople.
“He’s dead.”
Patrick turned in his saddle to face the young woman answering him. She was beautiful. Standing slightly taller than the other girls, her long, dark hair flowed around her heart-shaped face.
Hitching her chin up in defiance, she went on. “He died when Lord Dunham provoked the dragon.”
“So who now speaks for the town?” Patrick smiled at her. He liked a girl with spunk.
The woman opened her mouth to answer but was cut off before she could.
“I do.”
Patrick turned towards the voice calling from the other side of the square.
An elderly man stepped from the crowd.
“And your name, my good man?” Patrick asked.
“Eustace,” he answered.
Great—a man of many words. Patrick drew in a calming breath before going on. It was going to take every ounce of diplomacy his mother had taught him to make these people agree to his request. “I am Patrick Mylan,” he restated. “I have been sent by the king to see to your dragon.”
This sent another murmur through the gathering crowd.
“I claim Dunham Castle as my payment.”
Silence flowed across the crowd.
Patrick went on. “She is in need of much repair. I will require a tithing from the town.”
A roar of objection went up.
After a moment, the crowd quieted enough for Patrick to continue. “In return for your support, I will rid you of your dragon and offer you the protection of a lord.”
Outrage swept through the villagers.
“How do you expect us to pay a tithing? The dragon has razed all of our crops and killed most of our men.” The sweet voice of the woman cut through the din.
Patrick turned back to her. “I understand that times are hard, and I have coin enough to pay for the supplies I need for now. The tithing I ask is for repairs to the castle after I’ve vanquished the dragon.” He looked around at the now-silent faces. “It’s no more than any lord would ask of his people.”
“We are not your people,” the woman snapped at him.
Oh yes, she was feisty, but so was he. Patrick smiled back at her. “Then I will leave you to your dragon, fair maiden.” Pulling on the reins of his horse, he turned back towards the castle.
“Wait.” Eustace held up his hand to stop Patrick from leaving. “Can you really slay this dragon?”
“My men and I are well versed in the ways of dragons.” Patrick bowed his head. “We can stop this beast.”
“And what happens when you fail?” the feisty woman yelled at his back.
Patrick turned in his saddle to look back at her. “Then you will be left with a fat dragon and be free of the tithing,” he sassed before turning his attention back to Eustace. “My men and I will be down in two days’ time, ready to defend you from this dragon. Please think upon my offer.”
He glanced back over his shoulder at the feisty woman. “In the meantime, you may want to think about which maiden the dragon would like to eat next.” Indignation turned the woman’s face red as he turned his horse back towards the castle and kicked it into a run.
Rage clenched Kathryn's throat as she watched that pompous ass ride away. Patrick Mylan. Of all the self-centered, arrogant men she had ever met, he took the cake. How dare he come down here and demand a tithing to fix up that blasted castle! The thing had been empty yesterday! He was just as bad as that fatheaded Dunham, with all his taxes. And the one time they had asked him for help, he riled up the dragon and got the men of the village killed.
Kathryn stewed as she crossed the village square to where Eustace stood contemplating the man riding out of sight. “You cannot be thinking about agreeing to this,” she said, starting in on the elder.
Eustace turned considering eyes to her. “And what would you have me do?” he asked. “If we just let things go, the dragon will kill us all. Besides, we did ask the king to send help. Did you expect it to come without a price?”
Kathryn stared at him silently, unable to answer his question.
“You are not the only one that’s lost family to this dragon,” Eustace pointed out. “I’ve lost two sons already. I don’t want to lose my granddaughter as well.”
Kathryn let out a deep sigh. “But, we can’t let him rile up this dragon more,” she pleaded. “It might destroy the whole town.” This was a touchy subject for them all. So many of the girls were left without a protector. They didn’t need someone else coming in to ruffle the dragon’s scales again. It might not stop at taking just one girl at a time.
“And which maiden do you suggest we send next?” Eustace asked, his temper starting to rise. “Mary? She’s only twelve. Constance? Her mother is old and weak. How about you?”
Kathryn clenched her jaw, holding back her anger. The old man had a point.
“No.” Eustace slashed his hand through the air, killing her refusal of Patrick’s offer. “I will bring this up with the other elders.” He turned to go.
“But, he’s a fool,” Kathryn exclaimed as she followed him. “No man could stand against such a creature.”
“Enough, Kathryn,” Eustace chided her. “I will speak with the others on this.”
Dropping back, Kathryn let the old man go. There was no reason to argue with him once he got an idea in his head. She looked up at the castle to where Patrick had ridden. “You will be the death of us all.”
Who knew death could come in such a handsome package?
Patrick pushed his way into the great hall. The place looked a hell of a lot better now. A fire crackled warmly in the hearth, and debris had been cleared from the floor. Several of the men had sat down to plates of dried meat and cheese—part of the rations they had brought with them.
“So how did it go?” Daniel asked.
“They think I’m a fool.” Patrick dropped himself onto a bench near the fire.
Daniel raised an eyebrow and pushed a trencher of food towards his friend.
Patrick leaned on the table and picked out a piece of cheese. “Of course, they would think any man that would take on a dragon a fool.” Popping the cheese in his mouth, he laid his head and shoulder on the table.
“Did they agree to the tithing?” Daniel asked.
Laughing, Patrick shook his head. “No.” He picked up a chunk of dried meat and looked at it. “But, I also told them we would be down to watch the dragon eat the next maiden should they not change their minds.” Sticking the end of the meat in his mouth, he gnawed on it.
“Patrick!” Daniel scolded. “The prince will be furious if we let this dragon eat any more maidens.”
“I know that.” Patrick chomped away on his tidbit as he talked. “I will do everything in my power to see this dragon is stopped before he can take another life, but they don’t know that.”
Daniel cocked an inquisitive eyebrow at him.
“I didn’t go down to the village expecting them to agree to the tithing. No man would willingly give up a tenth of his goods. I went down to threaten them with the dragon.” Patrick tapped his finger on the table, emphasizing his words. “Either pay the tithing, or we let the dragon eat you. When you put it that way, the village will be happy to support us once we’ve stopped the dragon.”
The man’s audacity left Daniel staring at him speechlessly. After a moment, he regained his wit and laughed. “You, my friend, are a crafty man.”