As Meli walked beside Morag, she glanced toward the dragon following them and Kestrel drifting along behind the dragon. She sighed as she realized she would have to explain to Morag what had just happened between her and the bull dragon.
“Do you feel odd?” she hazarded to Morag.
“Not really.” she replied casually. Meli glanced at her gaining a raised eyebrow from Morag. “Should I feel odd?” she returned softly.
“Something has happened that you should understand.” Meli started hesitantly. “You are now soul-linked to a dragon and he is following us.” she explained slowly. Morag looked confused before turning to look behind her. As her eyes met the dragon’s, it began prancing and happiness flowed into her mind. Her eyes returned to Meli’s. “It is a very rare thing for human to be chosen by a dragon to soul-link with.” she told her.
“When did this...how did this...why did this...happen?” Morag sputtered. It was truly spoken loud but received a grunt from the bull dragon marching behind her. Meli giggled softly.
“When you showed him respect.” she answered the head-woman. “I believe he saw you fighting for his brood and spoke in their favor that earned you this connectivity.” she continued her explanation slowly. “It will cause many changes in your life since you and him are now theoretically one being.” she added softly. A quick back glance from Morag to the dragon gained a grunt and quick double stamp.
“Icebreaker and myself are bonded?” Morag asked slowly. “I do not know why but that is the name that appears in my mind for him.” she continued shaking her head. “It is similar to having a second series of thoughts running beside my own.” she attempted explaining.
“You will learn to adapt to that distracting aspect of the link with Icebreaker.” Meli replied with another soft giggle. “Arry could explain it better but he and Skydancer would not remain healthy in this icy atmosphere.” she rushed ahead. “He is the only other human and dragon soul-linked pair we of Atlantis know existing.” she explained quickly. “Being the leader of his brood and you the leader of the village could be another reason he thought it wise to soul-link with you.” she suggested pensively.
“I am not the first you have met being bonded with a dragon?” Morag asked bluntly. “I shall go to him and ask him directly then.” she concluded quickly. Meli could see the resignation in her eyes.
“That would not be wise since ice dragons are phenomenal on land and in water but extremely weak flyers.” Meli warned her. “And this situation is very different since Arry and Skydancer soul-linked at a much younger age.” she continued redirecting Morag’s thoughts. Morag glared back at Icebreaker getting a whimpering hiss as the bull dragon’s tail dropped to the ground. “He just told you mentally that it would be a bad idea to try visiting Arry and Skydancer, correct?” Meli remarked when Morag’s eyes returned to the front. She nodded in silence her face slightly paler than before. “He will help you understand and learned about the soul-link you now share.” she admitted.
“How will this change me?” she asked directly. Her body was stiff, her words formal but well selected, while she began accepting this fact placed upon her.
“Wounds will heal faster, your strength will increase quickly, and you will have assistance when dealing with problems by being of two minds.” Meli listed off easily. “Other abilities or changes will be yet to discover depending on how strong the soul-link becomes.” she continued. She held back some thoughts especially about the extended lifespan until Morag was sitting in her office hut. “It is possible that you will gain the resistance to cold that all ice dragons have.” she hazarded slowly. They had nearly reached Morag’s hut with the dragon carefully following without damaging huts or citizens of the village. The children stared in wonderment at this massive dragon acting like Morag’s well trained hound.
“It is a lot to accept and understand.” the head-woman replied. As she reached the door of her hut, she glanced back at the dragon that moved to lay by her hut without blocking the pathways. He gave her a small grunt before his head came to rest on his front clawed paws with half closed eyes. “He does understand my thoughts direct at him, yes?” she added in a whisper. A small puff of icy mist coated the area by the dragon’s muzzle while Meli laughed softly as she nodded. Sert was there looking at the dragon but said nothing after Kestrel had spoken with him. He held an open hand to the dragon which it sniffed but did not move.
“Kestrel has gone ahead and I can keep the dragon company while you talk with her Lady Mekiliean.” he stated to her in Atlantian. Meli nodded as her and Morag entered the head-woman’s hut. “You may ignore this dragon’s peaceful presence since he will be here more often from this day on.” he announced to the gathering crowd. The children were the first to move forward cautiously to hold their open hand to the dragon’s nose so him may know their smell. Within the hut, Meli motioned Morag to sit as she avoided looking at her.
“Included with everything I have stated is that your lifespan is linked with the dragon’s lifespan.” she informed her quietly. This gained her a confused look that slowly shifted into fear. “You now will live as long as he does.” she corrected her. “But that will only give you another two hundred years or so because he is about five hundred years old.” she added calmly.
“That is insane!” Morag interjected back. “Two hundred years is another three generations of the villagers.” she continued. Her face paled as her mind fully understood what was being revealed.
“It is not like you are immortal, you simply age slower than others.” Meli told her. Morag’s hand shook as she kneaded them together on the desk still pale faced. “If wished you can be taken to Atlantis but I believe that would be refused by your soul-link.” she continued forward. “He is the head of his brood as you are leader of the humans within this village.” she explained slowly. “Neither would wish to leave unless a trustworthy replacement would be in place for both of you.”
“That will be difficult task for either of us on our own.” she replied softly. “But this might cause the villagers and dragons to become closer which could have more soul-links occurring.” she stated. Meli’s face dropped into a pensive fear. “If it can happen with me, it could repeat itself because the leaders of both groups are bonded together, yes?” Morag added looking directly at Meli.
“It is a possibility but extremely low.” Meli grudgingly admitted. “Soul-links between humans and dragon is rare enough that you are the second one that has ever existed.” she explained slowly. “This binding of the leaders could open a possibility that has never been seen before.” she continued slowly. She shook her head. “I will request a squad of researchers to come live here monitoring the situation since it is truly unique.” Meli added. Morag looked at her and a soft half chuckle, half giggle escaped her.
“I believe Icebreaker sees this village wide soul-link as a good idea.” she admitted between her soft laughter. “The hunters are approaching!” she exclaimed already rising from her seat. “I must explain this to them and prevent problems.” she added heading for the door. Meli slowly followed to find Sert standing between the dozen hunters and Icebreaker. The children and a handful of villagers had also moved to prevent any violence between both sides.
“He is not a threat to anyone within the village.” Sert told the hunters. “Their illness has been cured with the miners no longer force-feeding them penguins.” he informed the villagers gathered including the hunters.
“His words are truth!” Morag bellowed at them. Icebreakers head rose, turned slowly, and glared as coldly as Morag did towards the hunters. They grumble but most turned to walk away. The handful that remained held their position but did not sheath their weapons. The leader of the hunters step forward towards Morag gaining him a soft warning growl from Icebreaker. “Hush, Icebreaker!” she snapped at the dragon. That odd whine repeated itself as his tail tightly wrapped around his body. “He is with me and will be here often because we are now bonded.” she announced. Her eyes remained locked with the lead hunter. His step faltered followed by a quick back step as his eyes went from her to the dragon and back. “I will explain all of it tonight as we feast together, my villagers and our dragon friends.” she added. A purring like sound escaped from Icebreaker at these words. She glanced at him shaking her head.
“I will accept your words, Lady Morag, leader of our village.” the head hunter stated quietly. “Returning to a non-violent relationship with the dragons is the best outcome for the village.” he continued. A little smirk formed on his face. “Now can you stop hiding your rank and wisdom to the village?” he added. A soft chuckle rolled out of him as he turned, motioning the other hunters to follow, as he walked away from the scene. I cheer erupted for their head-woman before most of them drifted away. Only the children remain taking turns to pet Icebreaker large head while giggling happily.
“Anything more you wish to inform me about?” she asked Meli. A smile had formed on her face as her eyes rested upon the children playing peacefully with the dragon. “If not, I have a feast to arrange for this miraculous event.” she added softly. Meli giggled back at her as she shook her head.
“I believe Icebreaker will help you learn anything else you need to know.” she admitted smiling at her. With a curtsy to Morag and Icebreaker, Meli moved to Sert side as they walked towards the shore to find Kestrel sitting in a meditative state. He sat by the longboat that waited to return them to the Herald.
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