Ku-Talking

By the time Stan awoke, Kutak had long forgotten his marching orders to stay quiet. Mira was waiting in the room.

"So," She started conversationally, before he even had a chance to wipe the sleep from his eyes. "I hear that you were gravely injured fighting a dragon, and Kutak saved you, and then carried you back home."

"That little son of a bitch." Stan croaked. "I'll kill him."

"Oh, come now." Mira's eyes were sparkling. "Surely you didn't think he would stay quiet about such a heroic act?" She emphasized the last two words. Stan was silent.

"It's easier this way anyway. Kutak becomes a man, and no damsels in distress were harmed." She raised her eyebrows. "Or were you planning to kidnap some poor village lass for him to rescue?"

Stan growled in lieu of a response, then whimpered as the pain of his ribs hit him. "Saved me.." He trailed off, "He couldnt save a puppy from a basket with no top on."

Mira giggled, and handed him the cup she had been holding. "Here, some more wood root tea. It'll take the edge off of whatever you did to your ribs."

"I didn't say anything when I got home, did I?" Stan struggled to sit up as Mira shook her head.

"No, you didn't. Which means I had no idea what to tell people as they started coming to me and asking if what Kutak said was true."

"You didn't…"

"No, I didn't encourage the gossip." She chided gently. "But what did happen, exactly? How much of what Kutak said is true?"

"I fell off the mountain in the dark and hit a tree. That's when this…" Stan gestured to his entire body, "Happened. I was working my way back to the trail when Kutak somehow spotted me from above. He threw me a rope -- literally. He didn't throw one end of the rope and hold onto the other. He literally threw the entire rope down the hill."

Mira busted out laughing. "That is certainly heroic all around. My hero dragonslaying husband tumbles down a mountain, and the boy he's trying to help can't even rescue him properly."

"Yeah, so… I got back up to the trail -- with the rope, and then used Kutak as a crutch the entire walk home."

"And how did the dragon come into all of this?" She asked as he took a sip of the wood root tea.

"I honestly have no idea." He admitted. "I certainly didn't see the dragon, or any dragon. Just my own foolishness and a stupid boy trying to get himself killed."

"Well, now the dragon's bested you, so once you get back on your feet," she eyed him up and down, "in a few fortnights, probably, we should make sure that you win round three."

"I'm not even sure that the dragon is… related … to any of this." Stan complained. "It was standing over my father, for sure. But it could've just smelled something dead and wanted a taste. Or maybe it wanted some of his jewelry, and I interrupted it. Everyone knows that dragons like shiny things. Their treasure, you know?"

Mira nodded sympathetically. "Or you could've made up a dragon to cover up a more embarrassing death."

Stan glared. "Of course I didn't. I know what I saw."

"I know, I know. It's just…" She shrugged. "All this talk of fake dragons to help boys become men. Can you blame me for not believing that this conveniently placed dragon might not be real?"

Stan took another sip of the tea. "It's real. Trust me. I wish that it wasn't. But I saw the dragon, and it was larger than this house. And if Kutak had found this dragon, he wouldn't be bragging himself silly out there."

"Well, are we going to set the village straight? Or are we going to let him be the hero?"

"Oh, we both know the answer to that." Stan's expression seemed resigned. "He gets to be a hero, and I get to be the village idiot."

"Come now, you were gravely injured by a dragon." Mira's fingers brushed one of the abrasions on his upper arm. He winced. "That makes you a hero, too."

"We are gathered here today," Stan spoke quietly, as his ribs were still tender, but the village was raptly held in attention. "To usher Kutak from boy to man. He performed an act of heroism just two days ago, when he rescued me from the edge of a cliff where I had fallen."

"Because of the dragon and everything!" Brenda shouted. Stan's teeth clenched. He chose to ignore her. He heard some villagers around Brenda tell her to shut up.

"With this honor, Kutak, you bear the full responsibilities, rights, and duties of a man of Dyssa." Stan placed his dagger gently on Kutak's shoulder. The boy was half-naked, kneeling before him. "From this day forward, Kutak, you will defend our village, protect our families, and devote yourself to Dyssa's health and wellbeing. Even in death, you will give your all to protect Dyssa from harm." Stan touched the boy's other shoulder with the dagger. "Do you so swear it?"

"I do." Kutak was grinning from ear to ear. Although the ceremony was supposed to be solemn, it rarely was. Moments later, cheers erupted from the crowd. Stan sheathed his dagger and motioned to the boy. "Go, and celebrate." He raised his voice over the crowd. Kutak was gone in a flash.

"I have a dragon to find." Stan muttered, getting off of the podium. He let Mira take some of his weight as they walked back to the shaman's hut together.

Previous Chapter: Mountain Hiking
Next Chapter: Kreev's New Job
Go Home: Go To Title Page