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(edited 12/10/08 for font correction and version update)

The day began with a soft rain falling from a dull grey sky. James and the other novices looked up at the clouds and sighed. It was just their bad luck to be out on patrol in this weather. They readied their horses and packed carefully for the day's travels, as they would not be back until sundown.

Joe sat on his horse and watched James as he tightened his gelding's girth strap, kneeing the animal in the belly until it finally exhaled. It looked at him reproachfully as he added another notch to the strap. Giving his mount a pat on the nose James climbed into the saddle and looked at Joe.

"Ready Lad?" asked the Master-at-arms, his eye checking over the novice and his mount. "Ya seem a little nervous"

James nodded, "I've been doing some thinking," He admitted looking round at the other novices. "I'll talk to you about it when we're out on patrol".

Joe grinned and pulled his mare round alongside James's gelding, "Right ya are lad".

"AL-Right!" Joe yelled, the damp novices suddenly trying to look alert. "We're all goin' to split into pairs and ride patrols for three hours out then change track and return along another's patrol route so no-one misses out on learnin' a new path"

He cast a wily eye up at the sky "Th' rain should stop in an hour or two, so ya'll be nice and dry when ya get back"

Separating the novices into groups, he gave them the paths they were to take, with instructions to wait at the changeover points until relieved.

"If no-one comes to get ya after 2 hours I want ya ta run like hell back ta the keep and let Master Martin know who and where and he'll organize a team to come out and look". There was a chorus of assent and they rode out the gates.

"We'll be takin' the northwest route lad", murmured Joe. James relaxed a little as he heard that, it was away from Cill's lake and he certainly did not want these two to meet yet.

"Anything special out that way?" he asked curiously, pulling his gelding closer to Joe's mare.

"Aye lad, I have heard reports that some outlaws have been seen in that area and wanted to have a look-see for myself".

James could not help feeling suspicious and wondered if he was being set up for something.

"And what else?" he asked quietly, and wondered at his boldness.

He would never have questioned the man in authority like that before, he thought, perhaps it was because he was starting to trust Joe and didn't want to think the man had sinister designs on him.

Joe grinned at him, "Not scared are ya lad? I'd a though' anyone who can crush a tankard with his fingertips wouldn' be scared of a few outlaws".

James laughed aloud as they entered the forest proper and onto a trail that lead to the northwest ridings of the county.

"I don't even know how I did that, Joe", remarked James after a few minutes. "I was just suddenly very angry with Jack".

"Well lad, I sure wouldn'a want ya angry with me if ya can do that, but if ya get angry in a fight... the other man will gut ya".

James nodded and thought some more as they rode deeper into the woods.

After an hour or so of slow riding, James had decided how he was going to try to explain his situation to Joe. It would not be easy as the man had obvious leanings against dragons and how they should be treated. Absently fingering the silver whistle round his neck, he tucked it back under his jerkin and leant over towards Joe.

"Joe?" he murmured, "Remember what I said about meeting Sir Nokal's daughter and sharing my dinner with her that night of the party?"

Joe nodded "That ya did son", he acknowledged.

James took a deep breath and continued, "It seems he is very powerful and has ... certain resources" James skirted the subject carefully. "His daughter and I have grown...extremely close now and he is happy for me to keep seeing her even though her mother isn't that taken with me"

Joe cocked an eyebrow at him but did not say anything.

"He's made an offer to me... to join his clan and become part of his family and all the benefits it offers...but..." James took a breath, "It will cause a lot of problems...as I'm hardly what his wife and family expect as a son-in-law, not to mention what it's going to do to my training and future as a knight"

Joe nodded slowly as he listened and realized he was hearing a carefully edited version of events but felt gratified the boy was talking at least.

"So ya want tha' lass?" Joe asked as they passed through a clearing slowly.

"Oh yes, she means the world to me!" James flushed as he spoke "She is magnificent and kind and sweet and gentle and..."

"Yes...Yes lad, I've been in love before too ya know" Joe laughed. "So what is the problem?"

"Well, she can't live at the keep, but I was wondering if I could still keep up my training until I am finished and I ...want to marry her Joe"

James rushed the last words out and waited for the response, as Joe looked deep in thought.

"It's unusual to say the least but I suppose ya have her father's permission to marry the lass?" Joe looked at him closely.

"Oh yes, he isn't nearly as nasty as he looks" James said with a grin.

"He gave me the willies tha's for sure" Joe grunted, "I thought he was trainin' ya on ya days off and felt a little put out with ya for not tellin' me"

James gave a start as he suddenly thought of that possibility. What he could learn from an adult dragon about fighting... "He may do that in the future but I'm not sure what is going to happen now"

James fell silent as they continued, their horses hooves making little noise in the leaf litter carpeting the ground.

The rain had let up by the time they stopped for lunch in a pleasant clearing and unpacked their saddlebags. Letting their horses graze under the overhanging trees as they slowly ate the food prepared for them. James couldn't help noticing that Joe's lunch came topped with a little sprig of parsley and a sweetbread instead of the usual roll and butter.

"So that's why you got to know Jane", he teased and leaned over to leer at the man.

"What? Nay lad... Jane is a fine lass and we enjoy each others company but I'm a fightin' man and could come back one day with my cods in a bucket, and I wouldn't want ta put a wife through tha' and she knows it"

Joe looked seriously at him "And that's somethin' ya should be thinkin' about too lad"

James nodded and chewed thoughtfully at his beef while he considered Cill's point of view of him being a warrior and he came to the conclusion that she wouldn't mind as fighting was an integral part of being a dragon after all. Joe packed his saddlebags again and looked at James as he sat deep in thought.

"Ya'd be wantin' to talk to Lord Duncan about stayin' in trainin' while being able to see your wife-to-be" Joe closed the flap of the bag with a slap. "He's the only one can say whether ya can or not, but I'll put in a good word for ya"

He gave James a pat on the shoulder. "Ya are a good lad and with a couple of years o' my trainin' ya'll make a fine warrior"

"I'll see if Nokal... Sir Nokal will speak to him about it too," James said, flushing a little at the praise.

"So where does this Sir Nokal live then?" Joe asked quietly as they rode off into the forest once more, trying to fish for more information about the mysterious visitor.

"Oh, er... the next county over" James flushed pink immediately and knew it would not suffice as an explanation but he kept quiet for the next ten minutes.

The forest was unusually quiet around here he noticed. It was as if the animals were all hiding and waiting for something to pass. Joe was experienced enough to recognize the signs and suddenly became very alert and sat upright in his saddle.

"Stop here lad... and listen close," he murmured while watching the bushes at the side of the track.

"What is it?" whispered James.

"Don' rightly know yet..." came the quiet reply. Urging his horse forward slowly Joe kept a close eye on a particularly large bush and as he approached it, a slim ragged figure suddenly sprang from its cover and sprinted down the road.

"After him lad!" shouted Joe and they both kicked their horses into a canter as they pursued the fleeing man.

Joe barely had time to wonder why the man wasn't heading into the forest cover to hide when he and James both slammed into the carefully positioned and camouflaged rope strung across the pathway at exactly waist height on a mounted man.

Winded and helpless the pair lay on their backs as the rest of the outlaws, previously well hidden on either side of the track came out and trussed them up soundly.

Joe cursed silently as sacking bags were pulled over their heads and they were tossed onto the backs of their own horses 'the oldest trick in the book', he growled to himself 'and I fell for it!'

Struggling strongly in the ropes he yelled and cursed their captors. The outlaws whispered amongst themselves for a bit as they watched them both straining in their bonds before pulling out stout clubs and dealing a careful blow to their captives heads, knocking them both unconscious.

In her lair by the lake Cill awoke abruptly and yawned. She did not know what had awakened her but it seemed to have gone so she fluffed up her pillow, and tucking it back under her chin went back to sleep.

James came to with a splitting headache, though it seemed to be fading fast for some reason. He could not see anything through the bag on his head and trying to flex his arms experimentally found he had been tied to something, most likely a tree.

The thieves were all talking freely as they obviously thought they were still both unconscious. He felt cold hands in his jerkin as they searched him thoroughly for any items they had missed.

"Ere? What's this then?" he heard one ask and felt a cold horror as Nokala's whistle was ripped from round his neck.

"That's a whistle ya eejit, ye's meant ta blow it" came the amused reply from another.

Under his hood, James grinned evilly as he heard the outlaw take a deep breath and blow vigorously into the whistle.

"Thing don't make a bleedin' sound!" the rogue said, trying again unsuccessfully before throwing the precious whistle on the ground and giving James a punch in the stomach. Trying not to groan in response, he hoped Nokala had heard the call as it was most certainly an emergency. These men would steal everything then likely either kill them or try for a ransom from the Keep.

Nokala looked up and yawned widely before stretching himself ecstatically. It had been a very satisfying yet tiring night and Carlina was still snoring gently beside him.

He felt sure he had heard the whistle not once but twice, and blown hard at that.

Somehow, he knew that James was not calling for advice. He stood up and flexed his massive wings widely before triggering the portal spell that took him to Cill's lake. He would try to locate his future son-in-law from there.

James listened, counted at least six men arguing over what to do with the captives, and waited until they had moved from his hearing range before hissing quietly. "Joe? Are you there?"

A moan came from several feet away on the right.

"Aye lad... I'm here and with th' granddaddies of headaches too, are ya in one piece?"

James grunted an assent "I'm tied to a tree...you?" he asked.

"Me too lad" moaned Joe "damn old trick and I'm ashamed to have fallen for it... can ya move or get loose at all?"

"No but don't be too concerned", James said quietly "I've ...er... sent for help"

Joe blinked under his hood "What? How'd ya manage that lad?" he asked incredulously.

"I...can't tell you Joe, but just trust me ok?" James whispered urgently "I-It's one of those things I can't talk about".

Joe sighed but wondered what was going on, finding it hard to concentrate on anything in the face of the headache still hammering loudly in his temples.

Nokala arrived at the lakeside and listened intently with his mind, "JAMES!" he shouted mentally, tuning onto his wavelength and hoping he would be able to reply.

James almost screamed as the great dragon's call drilled through his mind like a huge needle.

"Nokala!" he shouted back silently, "I need help!" he let out a moan at the effort it seemed to take to call, but he managed to summon the energy from somewhere to keep going.

"Joe and I have been taken prisoner...we are blindfolded and cannot see where we are at all, are you able to find us?"

Nokala listened to the reply and nodded to himself before answering quietly "Yes I can follow your thought stream if you think of something meaningful and can keep it up"

James chuckled to himself and thought of Cill as he hung from the tree. His arms feeling as though they were slowly being pulled from their sockets.

Nokala triggered his invisibility spell and flapped into the air above the lake, seriously upsetting a pair of ducks that unexpectedly flew into his rump and fell squawking indignantly into the water below.

He sought for and picked up the mental scent easily as the human kept his mind on Cill. Rumbling in amusement at the images, he flew off quickly towards the northwest corner of the forest.

"Joe?" murmured James feeling a surge of relief as he sensed Nokala getting closer. "What is it lad" came the reply.

"Something ...odd... is going to happen in the next few minutes and I should warn you... but don't be scared"

Joe picked up the oddly concerned tone in James's voice "Wha' are ya talkin' about lad?" he demanded, "Have ya managed to get free? Wha' the hell is gonna happ..."

Joe broke off abruptly as *something* huge hit the ground nearby with a reverberating thump that shook the tree they were tied to.

Joe felt himself break into a cold sweat as it moved nearer to them. He could hear it breathing steadily like a huge pair of bellows in the keep's smithy. He could hear strange leathery sounds and cracking noises as it moved towards them slowly and threateningly.

He found himself unable to move or speak and could only whimper as a powerful snort of warm meaty breath blew over his body.

There was a deep throbbing growl from a gargantuan throat that sent little signals of pure monkey terror gibbering from his hindbrain. A warm trickle ran down his leg as he trembled under the bag.

"Am I glad to see you Nokala", chuckled James silently "Or rather, not see you at this point"

Nokala puffed in amusement as he sniffed at Joe. "Who's this?" he asked, nodding at Joe whilst running a talon through the ropes holding James against the tree.

"That's Joe, he's a friend and you're probably scaring the dung out of him by now".

Nokala sniffed Joe again and raised an eye ridge in distaste "Yes...I am"

James pulled the ropes away and staggered round until he had tugged off the sack and breathed in a sigh of relief at being able to see again.

He looked round until he could see the crude hut the bandits had erected and where a thin plume of smoke arose from the fire within.

"Thank you for the rescue Nokala" he said mentally and bowed politely to the dragon. "Perhaps you would enjoy a little entertainment now?" looking meaningfully at the hut and back up at the dragon.

Nokala grinned toothily and flexed his talons slowly, thinking that after last nights fun a little exercise wouldn't go amiss,

"What shall we do?" he murmured, wanting to see what this interesting human had in mind.

"Why don't you go invisible again, tear that hut down and help me round up this little band of nasties?"

Nodding to himself Nokala agreed, "Shall we release your friend here first?"

James looked at Joe and frowned shortly, "I don't think he's ready to meet dragons yet" he said and walked up to the trembling form "Joe!" he whispered in the man's ear.

Joe twitched violently and farted noisily then slumped, whimpering quietly beneath the hood.

"Joe...trust me, you're safe now... but it's best you don't see what happens next. You'll know it's over when all the screaming stops ok? I'll come and get you then", he murmured.

"mmmmmuh....." was all that came back from under Joe's hood.

James watched as Nokala vanished suddenly and he made his way stealthily back to where their horses were tethered. He found his sword where he had left it and pulled it free slowly so as not to make any noise as it emerged from the scabbard.

"Nokala...where are you?" he asked silently and saw a swishing in the grass before the hut as the huge dragon's tail waved back and forth like an invisible scythe. Moving to the area in front of the hut James grinned up at the unseen bulk towering over him and gave the word "Ok...let em have it".