Chapter five

“ In the coming days we were busy. I learned of trivial matter and most important. Susan learned of my customs and allowances. The dwarves were as much help as hindrance at times. They would follow the instructions to how they interpreted them. The dissecting of my home was neither smooth nor quick. Yet it was getting done. Many of the dwarves wanted to know of my healing books. I still keep those locked away. They did not discover them till I showed them the entrance to up to the attic. Of course I made some things off limits. After about a month my house was moved to a cliff with a plot of land nearby I eventually made into a herb garden. Most of my books were of course confiscated, duplicated and destroyed in some way. If they were not so eager to learn I might have taught them more back then. With the solar array up I had a limited source of power and then I had a generator as well. It was enough to keep my fridge running and some lights. I do know one thing that the dwarves can do and that was build. In particular the plumbings of my house. I had water from a spring come in and everything going fed into a place where that stuff went anyways. I still do not know it works but it does. After the practical applications of wanted to know war knowledge gotten they went for comforts. Particularly the mattresses. I suspect Susan had a hand in that.” Steve glares at her and she turns her head.

“ Steve sets the last box of his belongings in the storage room. With that everything was out of the old structure and in the new. It seemed so cold to him. The gray stone replaced the rich wood colors. The remaining windows were turned to slots at best. At least the place was bigger and had a good view from the front. He pauses as he closes the door thinking on the incidents with the move. The concept of the insulation where one dwarf tried to eat it. He was still sickly. Another who was shocked when fiddling with Steve's solar array. No dwarf there had seen another hair stick strait out before. There was the time one removed a support board and nearly collapsed the house on them all. Incidents and close calls almost the entire time. Steve closed the door and went into the front room. The slots did not let much light in but there was a solitary bulb hanging from the ceiling giving light. Susan was laying on the couch, with her tail over the edge, as she read a book that survived the dwarves. “ The move is done.” She puts a plastic knife in the book to mark the page. “ That is good. I have learned so much. I fear when it will end.” Steve looks at the two books she already have read. “ So where does this leave me. My home picked clean of everything that could be known.” Susan moves half her body off the couch before carefully moving her other half off as well. It was already showing the scars of her seating. “ Well yes. Most of the tomes they looked threw could be understood. Some of the dwarves seemed insulted how simple they were but they were very informative. Most of them are doing experiments trying to figure out the ins and outs of what they learned. Your healing tomes however are another matter. We of course have our own healers but they were far more advanced than they could clearly understand. Some things they understood but.” Susan looked away and Steve went to the door. He went out it and she followed them to a bronze dragon just sitting there. “ My people takes four year of being an understudy and another two to four to earn your...” Steve pauses. “ It takes a long time to master the understanding alone. I have the first four years of knowledge.” Susan nods. “ I see. Today we are meeting a few new faces.” Steve sighed as he came to the harness on the bronze dragon. “ I do not appreciate being a pack animal!” Steve sighs as he fastens himself in. “ As you say every day Hons. And every day I tell you you are free to go back to the training grounds. Keep saying it and I will send you back without the choice.” Steve fastens the last clamp. “ Follow your queen. She will lead you to where we are going.” Steve could hear a private growling from the dragon. He did not understand it but something made him not really want to either. With him strapped in that enabled the dragon carrying him the ability of his front limbs without worrying about the passenger. Steve was still not thrilled about being carried but he was getting use to it. The only trouble is when they land. There had been a few times sense Hons started carrying him that he almost let him get crushed by landing on all four limbs instead of two. This time was no different as he lands hard on three limbs and quickly raises back to two. Steve was holding his breath as the rock was inches from his face. When raised up he immediately started working on the straps. He then takes out the meat hook in his pack. “ How many times do I have to tell you not to crush me.” Hons looked away then noticed others looking at him. “ Too many already my captain.” Steve lets the hook fall to his side while still in his hand. He then turns his attention to Susan. “ So what is the deal? You said new faces but I do not see why. These are younger and in good health as I can tell.” Susan sat down. “ These four and myself are going to learn your healing arts.” Steve's mouth went wide open in surprise but he paused to look at them. The four were eyeing Hons like he did something wrong. “ I believe you can learn my healing arts but the others I will need to test. I am sure you have other duties to attend. I will test these here while you do them. Leave Hons.” Susan looked at the four then at Hons. “ Are you sure?” Steve smiles. “ With you here they will behave. I want to see them for how they are. Leave word for those around I know are watching to summon you if incidents occur.”

It was minutes after Susan left Steve looked at Hons. “ I am using you to speak to them.” Hons lowers to all four. “ That is obvious. What is their first test you wish me to voice for you?” Steve paused and put a hand to his chin. A beard has started coming in sense he can no longer shave. “ A test of pride, but first relay these next words to them and be sure to mention that you speak for me.” Hons chuckled. “ And how will they know these are your words and not my own?” Steve puts the meat hook to right under Hons jaw. “ Because I will make it so I never have to worry about you landing on your front limbs again. Sense I will have them removed.” Hons recoiled and backed away. He had never seen the small human be threatening but right then if he used the sharp point of his hook he could have ripped his throat out. The point was taken. “ Yes, my captain. I speak your words.” Steve puts the hook back to his side. “ Speak these words. If I detect you not going to be true to my code the one speaking these words to you has more value to me than you do.” Hons starts his growling to them and when he finished Steve put his hands behind his back carefully. “ I can not teach you to save every life but I can teach you how to save a few.” Another pause to allow the growling. “ First and most important. My code does not discriminate. Friend or foe. Allie or enemy. Healing is to be given to all or is to be given to none.” Hons pauses not sure to continue. Steve starts raising the hook up slowly from behind him. It did not even pass his waist when he growled again. “ Second, all life can not be saved. This fundamental must be understood by those who learn this and those that seek it that know this.” Hons did not hesitate as he growled yet again. “ And finally there will be time for hard choices. There may be a hundred in front of you but you might be only able to save two or three.” Steve paused and looked at his empty hand. “ I can not teach you who to save but I can teach you to save the most of them you can.” Steve looked back up toward them. They were paying attention to every one of his words. He then looks back at Hons. “ Word this however you like. For their first test they are to do something that would embarrass them. Nothing that would be punishable but something their pride should not allow them to do.”

Steve could tell the change in the dragons the moment Hons was speaking to them. He could tell one was not sure to take him serious or not. Another just shook their head either in denial or refusal and the other two began protesting. “ They are refusing.” Hons confirmed. Steve moved to the one that was barking the loudest and put his hook right under their chin. “ You know death. I am teaching life. By refusing you are set in your ways of death and can never become a healer.” Hons repeats his words and the other dragons back away from the one that Steve made frozen. “ If you are going to learn healing that I have to teach you then you must change. If you can not change go back to where you were.” The one Steve held swallowed hard before growling. “ He said that he will change so he can learn. He will start by doing what I asked them to do.” Steve lowered his hook. “ What you asked them to do will not be needed. I know they are willing to change now.” Steve saw the rumble in Hons throat when he cursed to himself. “ If you wanted rewarded you should never have been captured.” Hons straitened up. “ I understand my captain.”