The Temporal Knights by Richard D. Parker Page B

had said escaped him. But the beast had clearly said something. It was unheard of, and the Ealdorman looked around at his knights, then to his son, who had lost much of his earlier bravado. His crossbow was now empty which meant he would have to get in close and fight the dragon by sword, which was something apparently even the young and brash did not relish. From the faces of his knights he knew he would get no help from them.
    “Wherefore cometh upon my lands dragon?”  Æthelnoth finally yelled back.
    ‘What?’ Brooks thought, thoroughly confused. He did not understand one word coming out of the man before him. It was complete gibberish.
    “I thought they spoke English,” Colonel Lemay commented with a frown directed at Rice, who shrugged and stared at the large bear of a man who’d confronted Private Brooks.
    “If we’re even in England,” he answered helplessly.
    “We’re in position, General,” Captain Hersey reported having stopped no more than a hundred yards behind the horsemen. His men were spread out to control the locals retreat.
    “Friend,” Brooks repeated, louder this time, in the hopes of being understood. He held up his hand in what he thought was a universal greeting of friendship. Behind the horsemen, Captain Hersey and four others stood up together. One of the horsemen immediately spotted them and spun his mount around to face this new threat. His horse reared, nearly throwing him, but he held on and started to run, but fire from all the strange dragons immediately surrounded them. Brooks frowned and set down his weapon and then he began to slowly approach the locals.
    The Ealdorman twisted on his horse trying to assess this new situation. The dragon had now surrounded them by becoming not one but five men. He started to pray. Only God could save him from such devilry, but God did not immediately answer. He opened his eyes once more and watched as the piece of the dragon approached ever closer.  Æthelnoth was dimly aware that Sir Elid was off his horse and on the ground praying loudly and watching the approaching beast with eyes wide enough to sail a boat on.
    “Helmets off,” Hersey said and his men complied.
    “Who are you?” Brooks asked stopping only about twenty feet away, feeling very naked and vulnerable without his assault rifle and helmet. He still had his sidearm in an emergency and he had complete confidence in Hersey and the others to take out the targets if necessary. He held out his hands, showing that he was unarmed, not understanding that the men before him thought him to be supernatural.
    The Ealdorman however, despite his fear and constant praying, noticed the gesture and was struck by it, and the oddly way in which the dragon spoke.
    “Wot ye want of us dragon?” he asked, deciding it could do no harm to converse with the beast, after all it was well known that dragons were after flesh and not the soul.
    This time Brooks caught a few words, but was still unable to catch the meaning. General Peebles and the others, who were now relegated to a scene from the helmets placed on the ground, could make out nothing.
    “I’m Sean Brooks,” he said tapping his chest, not really knowing what else to do.
    But this time the Ealdorman understood, and hoped for the first time that the beast before him just might be a man.
    “Sir Æthelnoth of Somerset,” the Ealdorman answered tapping his own chest, and this Private Brooks understood. “Ye be a man then?”
    The words had a strange cadence; a lilting quality that Brooks was not used to, and it forced him to concentrate. He shook his head and pointed at his ears.
    The Ealdorman frowned. The beast claimed not to be a man, and then pointed to his ears, which seemed very strange, though the ears appeared to be normal.
    “Ye be a dragon?”
    “I don’t understand you, Sir Aathelnot,” Brooks answered, and the Ealdorman frowned again for this time he had understood the beast in front of him plainly. Twas Anglish the beast