Chapter Twenty-eight

CONTENT ADVISORY / TRIGGER WARNING

THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS DEPICTIONS/STRONG IMPLICATIONS OF THE FOLLOWING THAT SOME READERS MAY FIND OFFENSIVE OR DISTURBING:

~ NUDITY

"It's him, it's Eskil."

The old dragon's eyes widened. "Bring him here."

Libelle grabbed Eskil's limp arms and proceeded to drag him up the crater's steep ledge. He was still large in this form, still tall and heavy. She struggled up the chilly slope, slipping more than she cared to. Davyn and Jolgeir reached out to her and grabbed onto her arm as soon as she was within their grasp. Her feet reached the solid surface of a stone slab, and she fell onto her knees as the two priests grabbed onto Eskil's arms and pulled him up the rest of the way.

Libelle was panting, she was tired and her strength was fading. She was already tired from her trip here, and the energy that the recent battle with Eskil had required had sapped her strength as well. She needed to rest. She looked down at Eskil who was still unconscious and showing no signs of waking up. She felt her cheeks flushing as she looked down the rest of his nude body; everything was large in this new form of his.

Davyn shook his head and wiped his forehead with his grey wool robes. "How did this happen?"

"I don't know. Loki said this magic was only meant to prevent him from harming mortals. Any other side effects, this side effect...I could not have predicted this." She watched as Jolgeir turned and headed up the slippery steps, pushed open the heavy wooden doors to Uppsala and disappeared inside.

"You cast a spell without knowing its side effects?" Davyn asked in frustration. "I trust our gods, but you know how Loki is! Why did you not question his actions further?"

"Would you question a god when he offers you his help?" she snapped.

Davyn sighed, shaking his head. "No, probably not."

Libelle shrugged. "It's not like I have test subjects lying about for trial and error. In theory, it was not meant to have such an effect, but not a soul could have foreseen this." She glared at Davyn who looked like he was about to continue with his assault of questions and insults. "Davyn, don't scold me like some bairn. I did what my heart felt was necessary. I knew I could not kill him in this world or the next, but at that moment, I knew we were able to disarm him. That is what I aimed to do."

"But what are we to do with him now?" Davyn raised his voice a notch higher when Olief and Kirk stepped away to return to the warmth of the temple. "Keeping a dragon captive was one thing, but now you need to keep a man! A man, especially one with horns, is not going to go unnoticed!"

Vegeir interrupted his disciple. "Calm, Davyn. Patience. The slayer could not have predicted this, even I could not have seen this curse. Eskil's no longer the prince, and his crown has been removed." He nodded in approval when the three other priests returned with wool robes in hand and several blankets. They moved as fast as their aged legs could carry them over the slick ground and knelt by Eskil's side, quickly gowning him and providing minimal protection from the cold.

"Vegeir, we cannot keep him here. We are peace seekers, not jail keepers," Davyn said, this time more calmly.

He nodded again. "Slayer, this responsibility falls to you I am afraid. I do not know what to expect from this magic, so be prepared for anything. Eskil may return to his normal self at any moment, and none of us know whether or not he will be able to harm mortals."

He shifted his weight as he continued, "It will be your task to keep a close eye on him. Keep those around him safe, and please return to me with any news."

Libelle forced a smile. "You know I will only do this because you asked me so nicely."

Vegeir snorted before he returned to the sky, flying high above the temple and returning to the peak of the mountain. He would meditate and give his wounds time to heal, leaving her to deal with the man-beast and a very upset Davyn.

"Help me bring him inside will you?" she asked the men. Reluctantly, they each grabbed a limb ever so not-gently and quickly shuffled inside. Libelle followed the men to an empty cot where they set Eskil down. He was still breathing, which was a good sign, but the smear of blood from his nose blemished his otherwise handsome features. Libelle sat down next to him, gratefully accepting a heavy blanket from Kirk.

She kicked off her soaked boots and set her feet near the warmth of the fireplace, not more than ten feet from Eskil's bedside. The heat from the flames radiated into the room, bringing warmth into the chilled bones of all the beings inside. Libelle sighed and rested her head back against the stone wall. Wrapping herself in the blanket, she kept her side to the sleeping dragon, her chest to the flames, and her other side to the doorway. Right now, she just wanted sleep.

Davyn had taken the few minutes to calm himself, knowing that despite his worry and frustrations, there was nothing that he or anyone else could do to change the outcome of this situation. He had to accept Vegeir's wisdom and decision on the matter.

"We will sleep in the opposite wing, please call if you need us," he said as he followed his brothers out through the stone archway.

"Yes, I will," Libelle replied, resting her head on her arms that were now crossed over her bent knees.

"Please keep an eye on him...he is still Eskil, the world-eater. Even though he looks almost like a man."

"Alright." She was already asleep by the time Davyn and the others left the room. She had exhausted her magic, her stamina, and her strength. Now she needed rest.