Wyvern's Trim and other stories by Nix Whittaker Page A

Ash’s
shoulders.
    Mya’s eyes
darkened and she said to Sebastian, “I’d be a better
lay.”
    Miffed Mya stormed off without another word. Ash
sighed and Sebastian said, “At least she didn’t try to kill me in a
fit of fervor.”
    She stared at
him shocked. “Was that a joke?”
    He didn’t answer
and he hadn’t cracked a smile. She shook her head surprised by his
unexpected humour and said, “Mya is also a gossip. Everyone in the
basilica will know by sundown that you are here.” She motioned to a
doorway and said, “I suppose now is a good a time as any to go see
the elders.”

    Elder Murphy was sitting in an inner garden of
contemplation. Ash was reluctant to approach him. But if there was
any hope that they would let Sebastian live in peace they would
have to settle things with the elders. Elder Murphy was the leader
of all the priests and hopefully also open minded. Sebastian didn’t
seem to have any reservation as he approached with confidence.
Elder Murphy jumped a little when they approached. He asked
confused “Child?”
    Ash was wringing her hands but winced in pain at
the brands on her arms and said, “Elder I’d like you to meet
Sebastian. He is a Dragon.”
    Elder Murphy breathed out. “A dragon.”
    Sebastian bristled at that and she had to
smile, at least he didn’t growl. Sebastian had a low opinion of
dragons. The elder motioned for him to sit and
said , “Thank you child,
you may leave.”
    Sebastian tensed and
said , “I wish for her to
remain. I have been a long time out of civilisation and she keeps
me calm.”
    The elder seemed shocked and
asked , “Are you
dangerous?”
    Ash answered, “No, elder. I would never have
brought him out of the Labyrinth if he wasn’t safe.”
    The elder’s eyes widened “The
Labyrinth?”
    Ash quickly told the old priest how she had found
Sebastian and freed him when he had calmed down. She didn’t tell
him that it had taken months before he would even allow her near
him. The elder frowned and didn’t impart his thoughts. He nodded
his head after a moment and then turned to Sebastian. “I have to
ask, why were you chained down there?”
    She was worried.
Sebastian wasn’t someone to reveal anything of himself so she was
surprised when he said “I killed a man. I don’t think they expected
me to last so long though.”
    Ash glanced at him and asked, “You killed
someone?”
    He turned to her and said, “Yes, he killed my
brother, so I killed him. I thought it was justice, others did not
agree.”
    They both turned back to the elder when he
asked , “How
long?”
    Sebastian shrugged. “Ash mentioned when the dragons first
came. How long ago was that?”
    The elder blinked and said, “Maybe eight hundred
years ago.”
    Sebastian was quiet for a time and said, “Then I have been
down there three hundred years.”
    Ash was floored and so was the elder who asked,
“You can live that long?”
    “ My pe ople live for a very long time. Close to
immortal in some people’s eyes.”
    She didn’t ask how old he was, though she
wished to know. The elder was thoughtful and said , “Even if you do lie about the man you
killed, I believe that three hundred years below ground is justice
enough. You would not be the only one here with a shady past. I
will have one of the novates show you to a room.”
    Sebastian interrupted. “I will stay with
Ash.”
    The elder frowned . “That would not be
appropriate.”
    “ She is mine, I will
stay with her.” To prove
his point Sebastian caught her wrist and showed the brands. He
turned over his own arms and she could see that the brand was very
similar to her own in design. Sebastian repeated. “She is
mine.”
    The elder leaned forward to look at the
marks and asked , “Is
this some kind of ritual binding? A blood bond?”
    Sebastian nodded. She was shocked and she
yelped .
“What?”
    The elder looked at her and asked, “Did you not
consent to this?”
    Ash didn’t want to get Sebastian in trouble so