Myvanwy and the House of Dragon Read online

‘How come he didn’t radio the authorities?’

  ‘He couldn’t, his radio was on the blink.’

  ‘So why didn’t he bring you home sooner?’

  ‘As he told us, he wasn’t about to go home empty-handed. We had to wait until he caught his quota.’

  ‘So who is he and what was the boat’s name?’ Ben persisted.

  At that point Clare interrupted, ‘He doesn’t want any undue attention and swore us to secrecy.’

  ‘Well he should be easy enough to trace. We’re going to have to tell the authorities in the morning, you realise that?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘And you’re quite prepared to tell them about Rita?’

  ‘Yes, she has it coming.’

  ‘So what did you two kids do all that time?’ Sally enquired.

  ‘We did a lot of fishing,’ Josh said, ‘other than that it was just eating and sleeping.’

  ‘And reading books, too,’ Clare added.

  ‘Yes, but where did you sleep?’ Sally persisted.

  Ben pricked his ears up also.

  ‘We slept in the crew’s quarters in the foc’sle. It had bunks and was a bit sweaty, but by the second week we came to regard it as home,’ Josh explained.

  ‘So where did the crew sleep?’ Sally asked.

  ‘There was only the skipper. He was sailing short handed, so we had to help him out.’

  Both parents sat back and shook their heads in amazement at the story they’d been told.

  Finally Ben spoke up, ‘Well Josh, perhaps you and your mother might like to stay here tonight so we can face the police together in the morning. Okay?’

  ‘What about Molly?’

  ‘Don’t worry about her, I’ll phone a neighbour and they can feed her until we get home,’ Sally said.

  Ben frowned, ‘There is one point that I’m still not clear on.’

  ‘That is?’ Clare asked.

  ‘The messages that you sent to Sally and me, even the dog heard them.’

  Josh looked up, surprised, ‘They worked?’ he asked, and then explained, ‘there was a book on telepathy aboard, so we thought we’d give it a go. The airwaves out there would have been perfect for sending, but we had no way of knowing if you heard them or not, that’s why we phoned you tonight. Please don’t mention anything about it tomorrow. It sounds like some silly schoolkid thing.’

  Ben and Sally looked at each other perplexed for a moment.

  ‘Whatever it was, it came through crystal clear, and was the only thing that gave us hope,’ Ben said, as he reached over to kiss Sally’s cheek. He offered his hand to Josh afterwards, ‘Thank you for looking after my little girl.’

  Clare yawned, which prompted her father to say, ‘Sally, you can stay in the guest room and Josh, is the sofa alright with you?’

  Josh nodded. Ben’s mind was easy to read. He planned to sneak Sally into his room later. Josh turned to Clare and they smiled at each other. An hour later, after hearing the squeaking floor boards and screaming minds, they lay together in Clare’s sumptuous bed until the crow of a rooster alerted Josh to the coming dawn. He tiptoed out to lie down on the sofa again and waited for the rest of the household to wake.

  Breakfast was bacon and eggs at the table, with the luxury of toast and cereal. As they finished off with a cup of tea, Ben called the police station to report that the two wanderers had returned home. An hour later it was bedlam—there was police and reporters everywhere, plus a television crew that had set up in the driveway.

  The police were surprised to find them still alive and were amazed at the story they told. They left before midday to interview Rita and locate the mystery fisherman.

  The waiting reporters and television crews besieged them afterwards and wouldn’t go away until satisfied, so Ben cautioned the teenagers about making any reference to Rita and took them outside for a quick media session.

  All through the morning, the one thing that impressed both Clare and Josh was the thought patterns of everyone they came in contact with. The police were downright abrasive, thinking one thing and saying another, while the reporters were just as disrespectful in their thoughts towards them. Somehow they got through it all and went back inside to relax, both warmed by the thought that Myvanwy and Sweet Pea would be glued to their television to monitor their progress.

  The media stayed on into the afternoon, and when the police revealed that Rita was a person of interest, the frenzy started all over again. They finally left in the evening and some sort of normality returned.

  ‘Perhaps it might be better if you stay on a few more days until all this dies down,’ Ben suggested, and Sally agreed.

  The next morning Clare took Josh to see Toby, and although the horse was glad to see her, he shied away in fright.

  ‘What’s the matter with him?’ she asked.

  ‘Can’t you hear him screaming? He smells dragon on you.’

  Clare opened her mind and tuned into Toby’s terror.

  ‘Yes, perhaps I do need a long bath—one with some fragrance in it.’

  Back on the island Myvanwy and Sweet Pea sat watching the midday news. The reporter announced that despite an exhaustive search for the mysterious fishing vessel that had saved Josh and Clare, it hadn’t been found, although speculation was rife amongst the fishing fleet. In related news, the balloon owner was shown shaking hands with the teenagers after Rita had broken down and confessed to setting them adrift. He offered them a free ride in the replacement balloon, once the insurance came through.

  ‘Hrmmmphf, balloons!’ Myvanwy said, voicing her disgust.

  The media and police rapidly lost interest, so Josh and Sally moved back home. Molly was glad to see Josh at long last and responded well to his telepathic commands.

  The two teenagers resumed their schooling, the end of year exams upon them—not that there was any concern. It was Josh’s last year, so he approached two of the larger banks and applied for a cadetship. Clare had no such worry, with still another year ahead of her.

  Josh also re-established contact with his Venturer unit and attended the weekly parades. He took a bit of chiacking from his fellow members and was reluctant to talk about the experience, except to confirm that yes, it had been an adventure and furthermore, that everything he had learnt at scouts had stood him in good stead when it counted. The validation of their efforts had the effect of strengthening his friends’ resolve.

  It was strange going back to the unit, everything had changed and yet nothing had. After the parade they unwound with a game of basketball. Josh found his athletic ability had improved out of sight and his eye keener as well. There was also way too much spring in his legs, so he opted to pass the ball on instead. As if that wasn’t enough, he could now hear the inner-most thoughts of his closest friends, and while they weren’t as far-out as some, he still had to keep his wits about him.

  After the game they held a meeting to vote on their end of year break-up and finally decided to hold a disco night for members and friends. The idea was a popular one and Josh picked up on the thoughts of, Janice, a female member of the unit, who viewed him as a possible partner. He told her that he was going to ask Clare while intimating that, Andy, another unit member, was thinking of asking her, which he was. She looked over in Andy’s direction and he looked away, momentarily embarrassed—and in doing so confirmed his interest. Josh spoke to him a little later, and by the end of the night a date had been arranged between the two.

  Andy was a good mate. Some called him a geek, but he was very intelligent and into anything electronic—a very useful friend.

  Both Clare and her father had become regular visitors for tea during the week, while Josh and Sally stayed over at their place at weekends. It was painfully obvious to those around that Ben and Sally had become an item. They were too blind to notice the affinity between Clare and Josh, who tried more successfully to curb their feelings when in company. For them it didn’t matter—the night was theirs to roam free in the astral.

  M
yvanwy spoke to them telepathically at least once a week, while Sweet Pea was a little more frequent. Clare and Josh visited in the astral as well, to re-acquaint themselves with the serenity of the caverns and check on Sweet Pea’s progress. The teenagers were extremely happy and relieved when the splints were taken off his wings, although he would still be grounded for at least another eight weeks. Myvanwy wasn’t taking any chances—what was a month or two compared with the lifespan of a dragon? She personally supervised his convalescence and made him spend at least an hour each day swimming in the sea and then another sunning himself on the beach, to aid in his recovery.

  It placed a strain on her as well, having to hunt for two—after all, they could only eat so many bats and they didn’t want to deplete the colony. Fortunately for her the mutton birds were still around.

  In the weeks before Christmas Ben and Clare visited as usual. After dinner, the teenagers went to Josh’s bedroom, while their parents watched television in the lounge. Clare lay on Josh’s bed, propped up on an elbow as she leafed through some Christmas catalogues, while Josh sat at his writing desk and toyed with some paper.

  ‘I was thinking. How about we ask Myvanwy for a week in January?’ he said.

  ‘But what will I tell Dad?’

  ‘That you want to go camping, of course.’

  ‘I really don’t know if he’s that liberal.’

  ‘It’s worth a try, especially in the current climate.’

  In the lounge room Ben and Sally couldn’t believe their good fortune at having the entire length of the movie together, away from prying eyes. But towards the end they became edgy and wondered just where and what their children might be up to. Finally alarm bells went off, so they went in search of them and barged into Josh’s bedroom unannounced. The teenagers looked up from what they were doing to greet them.

  ‘We were worried, you were gone so long,’ Ben said.

  ‘Yes, what were you doing?’ Sally asked, still alarmed.

  Josh handed her the piece of paper he had been writing on.

  ‘What’s this?’

  ‘I was thinking of going camping in January. It’s a list of some of the things I’ll need to take,’ he answered.

  Both parents were visibly relieved at what they heard.

  ‘I was thinking of going with him, if that’s alright with you Dad,’ Clare added.

  Ben stared open-mouthed at them, shocked by the revelation. His mind was easy to read. It screamed out with pain and indignation.

  Clare worked fast to negate his objections, ‘I was just about to come and ask you.’

  Ben turned to Sally for support.

  ‘He usually goes camping with the scouts every year,’ she confirmed.

  ‘Is it with the scouts?’ Ben asked.

  ‘No, not this time. I was thinking of meeting up with some friends and hiking up through the Otways. Clare’s welcome to come, if it’s alright with you.’

  Ben ran his eye over the list, noting the food and supplements, while looking for an excuse to say no.

  ‘It’s not like we’re going up in a balloon or anything Dad, I’ll be alright.’

  ‘But what about communications, what about…’

  ‘Don’t worry, I’ll take my mobile. And if we’re in a dead spot, I don’t really think communications are going to be a problem, do you?’

  Ben understood what she was saying and finally relented, ‘I’ll think about it.’

  Clare and Josh waited until their parents had gone before they kissed. Towards the end they had seen that Ben’s mind had been racing ahead, thinking of the pure bliss of having Sally alone for an entire week.

  ‘What do you think of this for Myvanwy?’ Clare said, and showed him a picture of a portable Radio/CD player from one of the catalogues.

  ‘What about Sweet Pea?’

  ‘Well it would be for both really, maybe along with some classical CDs. They could play them in the Cathedral. My allowance is more than enough to cover them.’

  ‘An excellent idea.’

  Clare picked up the list Josh had been working on and glanced down it, ‘There’s not too much here.’

  ‘We’ll only be gone a week and it’s just to supplement the fish at meal times. As long as we have the basics, anything more would spoil it.’

  ‘I suppose you’re right,’ she said, looking at the other things on the list like: matches, soap, herbal tea and a candle. She thought back to their last stay and decided to take towels, bathing suits and pillow slips. Also some bags they could stuff with straw to use underneath the saddle.

  The night before the disco, Clare asked her father if he would drive her and Josh there as well as pick them up again afterwards. It was the weekend, so Josh and Sally would be staying over anyhow.

  ‘Did Josh ask you out?’ Ben asked.

  His mind was easy to read.

  ‘Actually I asked him. He wasn’t going to take anyone and it sounds like fun. There’ll be lots of other people there,’ Clare argued.

  Ben’s suspicions melted away and he welcomed the idea instead, after all, it was high time Clare started to mix socially with people her own age.

  ‘Okay, but you behave yourself, won’t you,’ he said.

  On the Saturday night Sally and Ben watched as their children spruced up for the big night out. Clare took the opportunity to dress for the occasion in a denim skirt, white blouse and blue cardigan. She put red buckled shoes on her feet and then tied a matching red ribbon in her hair before applying lipstick and make-up. It took Josh less time to shower and dress. He put on a t-shirt plus jeans, followed by a denim jacket and suede shoes. Sally and Ben sucked their breath in on seeing them and realised just how much they had grown in these last few months. After dropping their children off at the dance they went home to enjoy a few quiet hours by themselves.

  The disco was held in an inner suburban scout hall, one end of which was well lit. It was lined with trestle tables laden with food and refreshments. Other smaller coffee tables and chairs were scattered in the centre to accommodate everyone, while the other half of the hall was in darkness, save for the laser lights and disco ball that hung above the dance floor. Clare shed her cardigan and dragged Josh onto the floor, where they let the rhythm and lights wash over them as they lost themselves in the music.

  Clare finally got to meet some of Josh’s friends. He introduced her to the other members of his unit during the breaks and she could see the friendships that had been forged. Meeting them there like that highlighted the coming dilemma facing him after his birthday in the New Year—that of continuing on in the Scout movement or not, due to his increased workload. She watched as Andy operated the music and lighting, while taking the opportunity to jump onto the floor with Janice when he could, both of them going berserk with a pair of glow sticks.

  Clare sat on Josh’s knee during the breaks. It was the first time they were able to be themselves in public and not worry about it. They held hands and occasionally kissed before going home contented.

  The days slid by and school broke up for the year—which meant more time on their hands. Clare spent most of it with Toby, refining his response to her telepathic commands.

  Ben invited Josh and Sally to stay and share Christmas with them, although as the New Year approached he became more apprehensive about letting his little girl go camping. Sally assured him that Clare was old enough to know her own mind and now it was just down to a matter of trust on his part.

  When the time came for leaving it was already dark and Ben questioned such a move.

  ‘One of the parents is taking us up to the base camp, where we’ll be staying the night, so we can get an early start in the morning,’ Clare assured him.

  The two teenagers waved goodbye and took their backpacks down the long driveway to await their ride. Sally and Ben watched the roadway from the lounge room window in the hope of seeing the lights of the car when it came. Ten minutes went by and the sound of Toby neighing in the barn distracted them both momentaril
y.

  When they got back to the front window, Sally said, ‘I think they’ve gone.’

  Ben let the fact wash over him and reached for her. He kissed the nape of her neck and then turned to open the bottle of sparkling wine that he’d been saving for the occasion.

  A Flying Visit

  Josh made contact with Myvanwy while she was still out over the Straits. A cloud momentarily blocked the moonlight, so the teenagers took the opportunity to skirt around the boundary and into the paddock that housed the barn. Clare stuffed two bags with straw while she waited and when Myvanwy landed, she used them to pad underneath the saddle. Josh busied himself also, joining the backpacks together at the top and placing them behind the saddle, before securing them underneath as well. Then when ready, they mounted her and were whisked away up amongst the clouds.

  Once again they marvelled at her ease of flight. The lift-off had simply been a spreading of her enormous wings to catch the breeze and raise her up, followed by a gentle flapping motion to gain the altitude needed. When high enough, they glided most of the way back.

  Sweet Pea had been waiting patiently and ventured outside to watch as they landed. Both teenagers stretched upon dismounting, to get their blood circulating again before unsaddling their mount and going over to greet him. Clare kissed his cheek and they walked inside.

  ‘It’s good to be back,’ the young travellers declared.

  ‘I don’t get it. Why would you choose to holiday here with us?’ Sweet Pea asked.

  ‘Well at least we can be ourselves here without worrying unduly,’ Josh explained.

  ‘That you can, it’s very exclusive here,’ Myvanwy agreed, ‘you have the whole island to yourself—except for us of course,’

  ‘Was the fishing boat about tonight?’ Clare asked.

  ‘No, I don’t believe so, why?’

  Clare delved into her backpack and pulled out the portable Radio/CD player. ‘This is for you two,’ she said, and proceeded to demonstrate it by putting a CD of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons on to play.

  They watched as Myvanwy closed her eyes to experience the different seasons. She finally opened them again and said, ‘That was so sweet of you, but you didn’t have to, you know.’