Chapter 11

Raimi slept for several hours then went to see how Ailysh was doing, she knew the storm had frightened the small dragoness. Padding into the lair Raimi set the tiny silver bells tinkling. Shelaw smiled "they are out enjoying the fresh morning, come sit with me young Raimi." Raimi smiled sitting down "are you doing well here Shelaw?" With a smile and a purr for Hellhound Shelaw nodded "my sweet Morpaw and I are doing very well, Morpaw and Bartolow find the dragon Mar to be quite interesting, there is much he can teach them. I also walk every day with Marti'en who has much wisdom, slowly we are learning of this new world and the amazing things it holds." Raimi smiled pleased to hear that things were going well for the two old dragons. "I rarely see Renlock, he is also well?" Shelaw nodded handing Raimi a mug of tea "he finds this land so amazing, he flies further and further exploring, he is looking forward to this gathering, hoping to see more of what is offered, you will come also?" Raimi thoughtfully drank her tea "I don't know if I will or not, I am content with my cottage but we shall see, I understand this gathering is not until late summer, early fall." Raimi glanced at Ailysh's tree nest "do you think there are any like us here Shelaw?" Shelaw sipped her tea "I don't believe so young Raimi, I imagine we are the last of a long proud line of dragons, if any others of us managed to escape I never heard but it is a comforting thought to hope such." Raimi stayed visiting with Shelaw for several hours, it was nice to see the old dragoness with a smile and the light of happiness in her eyes.

Raimi chuckled at Hellhound who was chasing a stick she had thrown "you know Hellhound, I need to learn this popping business, it is tiresome to have to always ask someone if I want to go to SheringCross or Natalie's" getting back to her cottage she sat on the front step and looked at a small spot in the clearing then concentrated on going there. With an ooooppfff she landed on her bottom in the spot she had been looking at, with a giggle she stood up brushing the damp dirt off her rear, Raimi practiced by popping from the small spot to her front step and back again for over an hour, giggling as Hellhound ran back and forth from spot to spot. Laughing she told Hellhound she was going to try to go on the other side of the meadow, picking a spot she remembered for its three large rocks Raimi once again concentrated.

Alex with Zara holding onto his shoulder and his friend Dougal who had come for a visit were riding for the mountain, Zara shrieked "Hell papa Hell." Alex reined in his horse and looked around. Dougal pulled up his horse also "Hell?" they all turned as Hellhound came bounding through the tall grass and bushes howling wildly "that is Hellhound" chuckled Alex, they all turned hearing a loud thud to see Raimi come tumbling down the side of the hill, landing with a few choice swear words she glanced up and grinned "oohh Hello Alex, Zara." Alex swung down off his horse "are you all right Raimi?" getting up off the ground. Raimi grinned "just a few dent's, nothing to worry about." Alex laughed, Zara flew over and nuzzled Raimi "awwww owwie." Raimi grinned "just a little one, Hellhound has a new trick." "Ohhhhh" Zara's eyes widened staring at Hellhound. Raimi called out "Hellhound hunt Zara." Raimi whispered to Zara "go hide" with a giggle Zara zoomed off into a bush. Hellhound, with a wild arrrruuuuuuwwwww, started sniffing all around. When he found the bush Zara was in he went stiff all over and let out a different type of howl. Laughing Raimi told Hellhound "fetch Zara." With wild shrieks and giggles Hellhound gently carried Zara back to Raimi. Dougal his leg swung over the front of his saddle, his arm resting on his leg as he leaned over watching laughed "you'll never need a nanny with that hound about." Alex grinned, "Dougal, I would like you to meet Raimi, Raimi this is Dougal an old friend who lives in the estate next to ours in Scotland." Raimi gave the man a slight smile saying hello, ignoring his interested looks, Dougal flashed Raimi a wide grin "we're on our way to see the new dragons lass, would you care to join us?" Zara wrapped around Raimi's leg smiled "Barto Bear." Raimi smiled and softly stroked Zara's tiny head "I think Mar is with Barto Bear." Zara grinned and went back to grrrrring against Raimi's thigh. Raimi smiled at Dougal "if you seen one dragon, you've seen them all, I have a few more hills to smack into, but I thank you for the invitation." Alex chuckled and swung back into the saddle "just don't smack into any trees." Raimi laughed "I just jump into and out of those." Peeling Zara off her leg Raimi smiled and gave her a nuzzling purr, Zara snuggled Raimi for a moment then went flying up to her papa's shoulder. Dougal glanced back but Raimi was nowhere in sight.

Raimi giggled and laughed rolling on the ground with Hellhound remembering the look on Alex' face when she came tumbling down the hill, in the cottage she practiced popping from room to room almost drowning herself in the pool room. After she had changed clothes Hellhound happily reminded her that they had missed lunch and it was almost supper time. Raimi fed Hellhound then sat down to eat, muttering to the puppy "you know Hellhound I remember sweet foods called pies and cookies I think we need to go see Cook again." Hellhound grinned. Raimi cleaned up from supper then went to the pool room, opening the door to the beach she stood staring for a minute then grinned "remember Hellhound, those little fish don't bite." Hellhound bound into the room romping around and running up and down the beach. Stripping off her clothes Raimi inched her way to the water, peering down into the water she sighed at herself, come on Raimi your no sissy it's just like the bathing pool. Taking a deep breath she plunged in, Raimi found that swimming against the waves was much more exercise then just swimming laps in the bathing pool, she also found out that floating with her face in the water she could see the little fish that were swimming around. Amazed at all the different colors she saw, Raimi spent most of the evening in the beach room.

Raimi slammed into the outside kitchen wall with a thud, putting down Hellhound she sighed "I really need to stop doing that." Cook threw open the door "lordy girl what are you doing?" Raimi laughed "just trying to get around, can I come in?" Cook smiled "well surely you can, what are you wanting to cook now?" Raimi chuckled "cookies and pies and anything else that's sweet." Cook laughed her big bosom like a giant bowl of jelly as it bounced "got that monthly sweet tooth do ya, well now, I'm making tarts and comfits for dessert at the moment, come take a taste and see if ya like um. I could even offer ya a nice cold cloth for that knot that's bloomin on your forehead." Cook grinned watching Raimi gobbling down the tarts, as she held a cold damp cloth to her head "ooooohhh Cook these are wonderful, are they hard to make?" Raimi said her mouthful and a look of ecstasy on her face. Cook tossed Raimi an apron "easy as anything, come on and we'll start replacing the ones ya sucked down." Raimi grinned putting on the apron. Raimi and Cook spent the whole morning, laughing and giggling as Raimi learned the art of pie and tart dough making, as well as cookies, Raimi's heart skipped a beat hearing a horrible scream from the front of the house, dropping the bowl of clotted cream she grabbed her sword and went running around the front of the house to see a young woman a parasol in her hand waving it wildly at Hellhound screaming like a crazed person. Hellhound sat his tail wagging watching the parasol waving around, Raimi started laughing, Alex and Connor came skidding around the side of the house, only to stop staring at the woman who was now glaring at Raimi. Raimi chuckled calling Hellhound "he won't hurt you, it looked like he just wanted to play with your umbrella" blinking Raimi watched the young woman advance on her, pointing at Hellhound with her parasol "remove that beast immediately from my presence, are you daft, didn't you hear me? I said take that beast away" Raimi looked down at chest where the woman had poked her with the tip of her parasol." Dougal walked out of the front door "Susan what are you screeching about?" Once again the young woman poked Raimi "the hound was bothering me, I want it removed and this person is not listening well to orders." Alex and Connor both groaned as Raimi's sword twirled in her hand slicing the parasol in half with a big not nice smile Raimi looked at the young woman "would you like me to poke you back? I think what I would use would be a bit more of an irritant and I don't take orders." The young woman let out a hiss of outrage "how dare you, I shall have you sent packing forthwith" raising her hand she went to strike Raimi with the piece of parasol she still held. Everyone froze as they heard a deep low growl come from Hellhound, Raimi quickly touched his head "come Hellhound" turning Raimi took Hellhound around to the kitchen door, telling him to stay she went back inside. Cook stood with her hands on her ample hips "what was it, someone get killed?" Raimi laughed "no just some girl all dressed in bows frightened by Hellhound." Cook hummmppff'd "oh that one, arrived here yesterday she did and been giving orders left and right, why she sent my bread pudding back last night saying it was inedible." Dougal stuck his head in the door "is it safe to come in?" Cook hmmpf'd again "not if that ... certainly sir, it sure is safe." Raimi started laughing "what she started to say was not if that screeching bossy bitch is with you." Cook choked and quickly turned around covering her mouth with her apron to stifle her laughter. Dougal arched an eyebrow "I do apologize for my niece, I am taking her home from London where she has been visiting with friends." Cook muttered making Raimi laugh again "now Cook I'm sure she must have at least one friend that hasn't tried to slit her throat yet." Cook choked again then went off into gales of laughter, Raimi just smiled sweetly at Dougal. Dougal started to laugh "now lass, I'm her Uncle, I can think it but I can't be sayin it out loud." Laurel walked into the kitchen with a smile she looked at Raimi and Dougal, "Raimi, Zara wants Hell to come out and play, she's in the garden." Raimi frowned "where is Miss Bows?" Laurel tried not to laugh "she is up in her room with a cool cloth on her forehead feeling faint." Raimi couldn't help it she started laughing uproariously, opening the kitchen door she said "Hellhound find Zara" with a wild arrrruuuuuggghhh the puppy went running off to find Zara. Laurel looked at Raimi "what have you been doing Raimi, you're a mass of bruises." Raimi grinned "trying to get popping down to an art form, but walls and mountains seem to keep getting in my way." Laurel giggled "oh Raimi, you're as bad as Zara." Raimi gave Laurel a big wide eyed sad look and pointed to her forehead "awwwwwwww owwwie." Laurel burst out laughing putting her fingers on Raimi's forehead she took care of the bruise "there all better." Raimi grinned then blinked hearing Dougal say "I could have kissed it and made it all better lass." Laurel quickly hooked her arm in Dougal's "come join me for a cup of tea out in the garden." Cook chortled watching Laurel almost literally dragging Dougal out of the kitchen. Raimi just shook her head and went back to learning pie making, while Cook muttered about men who act like little boys.