Catching the Wind

Curse

"Omph, COUGH, I was merely taking a nibble, no need for that! I had to catch the wind beneath my hooves in order to make it here as fast as ye requested, can not an old man simply relax and enjoy a bite?" the wizard responded. 

  

"Ye be a gluttonous fool, if it wasn't for me, the last bit of magic ye'd have in those old bones would be nothin good but for manure." the witch responded, very tipsy.  

  

"I just happen to let ye help, my dear, as yer very tipsy from the 4 pints of ale ye’d consumed before we took off. Ye cannot control yer magic, elsewhere I may have ended up handsome steed instead of that bag of bones ye’d made me." The wizard spat back at her, and the air started to crackle and spark as they faced each other. Captain Nikolas could see that both had too much to drink and a fight between them was about to ensue, so he decided to step in.  

  

"Come now, we be friends here, all of us. There tis a larger enemy bitin at our heels other side of that hill out there. We should discuss the actions needen to get Caspian to safety before we’s all end up on spikes adorning the Kings castle." Nikolas knew they had a little amount of time, but he felt by saying it out loud, he may help them realize there is no point for a measly quarrel over food and drink. With those words the two stopped and looked at him and went to where Caspian was resting and watching. 

  

"Yes, he is a beauty indeed Hagthoria, like his father as ye said. Can he fly yet?" Asking the last part to Nikolas, the wizard walked closer to Caspian. The dragon watched him, turning his large fiery scaled head to keep an eye on where the wizard was headed. 

  

"Not yet, but there may be hope, one day we will find another to teach him. Until then, he stays as me ward, grounded and generally in human form." At the response by Nikolas, the wizard nodded and came close eyeing the wing in front of him.

Reaching out a finger, he traced a scale, gently murmuring something. A zap, crackle and then a snap could be heard as a small silvery light traced up Caspian's wing then fizzled out. The dragon turned his head and gently snapped at the wizard causing him to stumble backwards and down on to his rear in surprise. 

  

"My apologies lad, no harm was intended, I was merely testing something. Too bad really. I had never ridden a dragon's flight, but once before and just so happens it was yer father that allowed it." With the wizard's comment, Caspian perked up and proofed a bit of smoke urging the wizard to explain.

The wizard seemed to think a moment before responding, and shaking his head. 

  

"That was so long ago, he was very wild and had been pilfered by an arrow, testy he was from it. Cannot say I blamed him. We managed to remove it though, and he was right as rain. So gracious was he to give me a ride from that. It was a fun and wild experience, surely one I shall always cherish." He explained to Caspian as a youthful excitement danced in his eyes.

Putting his hand back on Caspian's wing, the dragon stayed still watching him this time with little worry. 

  

"To teach him would be of no use though." The wizard commented sadly about Caspian. 

  

"He would still not fly.” Nikolas looked at the wizard the moment after the words left his mouth.

“What does ye mean old man, why not?” Nikolas said, suddenly concerned.

 “My dear would ye be so kind as to come over here and tell me if I could be wrong. I pray that I am." The wizard turned to the witch wearing a frown asking her to come over and feel the power in Caspians' wing.  

  

Hagthoria was busy pushing unwanted affection on a broad shoulder solider trying to stoke the fire next to them. With a cup of ale already in one hand, she perched her crooked fingers on the soldier's shoulder. She was laughing and murmuring something at him, but in response, his face showed he was terrified. The soldier named Barreth threw pleading eyes for help to his captain, causing Nikolas to stifle a laugh.  

  

In the middle of the witch licking and smacking her toothless gums at Barreth, and whispering promises about long strokes of pleasure, Nikolas finally stepped in. 

"Hagthoria, tis been ages since ye has seen young Caspian. I be sure Barreth would love to take ye up on that offer my dear, but should ye not go over and see what the wizard is talkin about?" Nikolas used it as an excuse, saving the poor soldier. 

  

She hmphed and stood, throwing a wink at the soldier causing him to shudder at the thought. Stumbling over to where the wizard was standing blinking her eyes a few times to gain focus, she smiled.  

  

"I be busy and y over here irritating the dragon, specting me to keep ye out of his jaws? Ha, ye be but a snack to this boy." Pointing out to the wizard that she wasn't oblivious to what just happened she turned to Caspian. 

  

"Having ye mothers' eyes, ye do. Yer fathers' scales though. He was magnificent to see soaring the skies. Pity tis no longer." Saying that she laid her hand on Caspian's' wing as was done by the wizard. There was snap and then flash of white that lit the forest, reflecting off the eyes of animals watching them from the trees. Hagthoria cursed as she fell backwards and the blue lightning scattered up Caspian's wing and fizzled out, as well.  

  

"Ye be cursed lad, but by whom? Yer magic in dem wings is gone. Never fly can ye until it be lifted. I may be mighty but my magic is no help in this." Her words made the camp go still, all that could be heard was the crackling of the fire mixed in with the cool night air.  

  

"What does ye mean he will never fly, what curse are ye speaking of? He needs only a teacher to soar them there skies, he has no curse." Starting to sound frustrated and panicked, the Captain stared at the witch, he didn't believe her, he didn't want to.  

  

"Aye, don' be looking in I's direction, it wasn't I!" The witch shook her head. This was truly unexpected. She could still send him away, to another plain, to get him from harms reach, she knew that was her main purpose this night. 

  

The Captain shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. He felt as if he just added 20 years to his 29. He looked over at Caspian with pity and worry. At that moment though Caspian transferred back to his human form. 

  

"I can't fly? But why, what curse do ye speak of? I have to learn to fly, I have to find others like me, tell me what I must do?" The urgency in his voice was prevalent. Caspian had longed dream since a hatchling when he seen his parents fly for the first, and last time. He fell to the ground and put his head in his hands, he didn't want to cry like a baby, but he was finding hard to hold the tears at bay. He had been through a lot, and it suddenly came crashing back.