“So, you are not going to honor our bargain, Wizard?” Yew finally broke the long silence that marked the beginning of his journey with Gandalf.

“Hm, what? Oh! My apologies, Yew, I was thinking. If you mean our agreement that I would take you to your new homeland, then, if you wish to be precise, no. I will not. But only in as much that I personally will not be escorting you. I have made arrangements, as you heard me tell Pippin.”

“I gave my trust to you, not some other.” The cover was off Yew’s cage since they were well off the road and away from any Hobbit farms or villages, so Gandalf saw the dragon’s irritated flicker of flame.

“Actually, Radagast is better suited to escorting a dragon into the distant east than I am. I fear my tasks here in Middle-earth call me more often to duty than his do. Also, as I told Pippin, Radagast is more in touch with the plants and beasts of the world than I am. I had begun to think it might be better to send you on with him even before my plans changed.”

“You changed your plans when you had to deal so severely with the old Hobbit, Bilbo. Is my guess correct?”

Gandalf swayed to a halt, held the cage up and quirked an eyebrow at the dragon. “Your guess? Come now, Yew. I know you used my robes to hide behind when I came back from Bilbo’s party so I know you heard our . . . discussion. What guess have you made?”

“His ring is evil. It did not come from the one who created my kind, yet it bears the taint of him. I had a brief vision of Glaurung in his torment after he escaped and was recaptured by Morgoth. And then, there was Bilbo himself. I had never heard a Hobbit sound so . . . well, dragonish. Not even Pippin’s sister Pervinca. If he could have spouted flame he would have.” Yew drew a deep breath, letting it out with a hissing sigh. “I feel grave concern for Frodo. I hope he takes your concern and advice to heart.”

The wizard nodded slowly as he lowered Yew’s cage and set off again at his rapid pace. “I hope the same, Yew. I hope the same. I didn’t say very much as Frodo is a born worrier and I really know so little with any certainty. Nevertheless, I hope he heeds what I did say.”

They fell once more into silence.

Their trip was a rushed one with only brief pauses for refreshment and none, by the wizard, for rest, although Yew was able to sleep in his cage. Sooner than most would have expected to be possible they crossed the Brandywine Bridge. Less than a mile further east they came to a clearing to the north of the Great East Road. There they made a sort of camp and Gandalf finally rested.

The next morning a rider arrived at the edge of the glade. Yew could see him even in the shadows at the edge of the wood. He was like to Gandalf but dressed in brown instead of grey. There was no bridle upon the horse’s head nor were the rider’s feet in stirrups, but then, Gandalf did say this wizard was a friend of the creatures of the world and Yew knew he would prefer not to have such things placed on his own head and back. This bode well for his having to travel with the newcomer.

“Hail, Mithrandir! Gandalf!” he called.

Gandalf rose to greet his friend. “Yes, yes. Come out of the woods, Radagast.”

“I acquired a horse as your message instructed and came as quickly as possible. You say you have a dragon you need transported?”

“I do indeed.” With a sweep of his arm, Gandalf stepped aside, revealing Yew sitting comfortably atop his cage.

“Oh my!” Radagast’s eyes grew huge as he slid off his horse. “Truly, you have a young firedrake.” The new wizard bowed low before Yew. “Radagast the Brown at your service.”

“Yew of the Dragons at yours,” replied the dragon as Gandalf had instructed him just that morning. There was no need to add ‘and your family’s’ as wizards had no families.

“Yew? After the tree?”

“Yes. I was discovered by my young savior, upon a stone wall near a yew tree. Actually, I was ill from having eaten some of the tree’s leaves. But then, I was yet a hatchling and ignorant of the danger.”

“It is a strong name. Full of ancient magic. And your dragon name?”

Yew wondered at this. It was an unusual request as few other beings could pronounce dragon names nor cared to know them.

“Bedwyrculhwch.”

“Ah. A strong, goodly name. It bodes well for your future in the distant east.” Radagast nodded then turned to Gandalf. “I’ve already broken my fast. I could take Bedwyrculhwch and leave now if you’d like. That would free you to attend to the urgent errand you mentioned.”

Yew’s eyebrow ridges rose at the brown wizard’s correct pronunciation of his name.

“Thank you, that would be of help, yes. I have lost some time in waiting for you to arrive. You had best get into your cage, Yew.” Gandalf added to the dragon.

“No need!” Radagast held out a large, soft leather bag. “I have used this to carry some of my large avian and reptilian friends when I have found them injured and in need of care. It has an opening at the top that is a nice size for a head to poke out of and it slings comfortably over my shoulders. All who have ridden in it have all proclaimed it most comfortable. And, when we are moving at a walking pace, Yew may ride upon my shoulder.”

Gandalf looked at Yew who nodded in return. The wizard bowed.

“Does this arrangement meet your approval, Yew? Will you go with my brother wizard to a new realm in the east?”

“I will,” Yew declared, returning the bow. “It is as you said. Radagast, it is clear, is a noble wizard who is well-versed in dragon lore. I will entrust myself to his care.”

“Do well in your new land, Yew of the Dragons. My blessings rest upon you and your escort.” Gandalf picked Yew up, placed him in Radagast’s carrier, and then closed it with the leather ties.

Yew popped his head out of the opening in the top. He looked down at the travelling cage Pippin and his father had made for him and spoke to Radagast. “Do you know how to carve wood, good wizard?”

“I do indeed. Why do you ask?”

“Please, take the branch that is in my cage along with us and make something out of it. I would have something of my friend other than memories alone.”

Gandalf removed the foot long branch and Radagast tucked it into a pocket sewn to the inside of his cloak.

“Wizard Gandalf.” Yew bowed his head to the grey wizard. “May your task go well. I hope you will be able to watch over the Hobbits I have met. They are a goodly folk and deserving of your care.”

“I will.”

“Fare you well, Gandalf!” Radagast said as he wheeled his mount around and rode off at a canter.

*    *    *

Radagast and Yew had a long journey ahead of them. Long and uneventful, for the evil that was returning to Middle-earth had no concern for them and had not yet come to strength. The Brown Wizard knew all the most secretive paths. His tasks in this world often needed to be hidden from the eyes of even the Elves as he quietly tended to needy creatures and plants . . . or strengthened them to bear up against the destructions of The Darkness. Therefore, they passed unhindered through all the lands of Middle-earth.

After many months wizard and dragon rode into the eastern realms, and there adventures unfolded that would set Yew and his descendants apart from the dragons of the western realms.

There, their story will continue.

*     *     *

A/N:

Yew’s Dragonish name is, as mentioned in an earlier A/N, the slapping together of two Welsh names Bedwyr and Culhwch. I chose Welsh names because Welsh looks odd to us English speakers and because a red dragon is the symbol of Wales.

Bedwyr is of unknown meaning, but one of King Arthur’s knights bore the Anglicized version of Bedwyr – Bedivere. He is said to have thrown Excalibur into the lake after the king died.

Culhwch – “Means "hiding place of the pig" in Welsh. In Welsh legend he was the lover of Olwen the daughter of the giant Yspaddaden. Before the giant would allow Culhwch to marry his daughter, he insisted that Culhwch complete a series of extremely difficult tasks. Culhwch managed to complete them, and he returned to marry Olwen and kill the giant. This tale appears in the Mabinogion, a collection of tales from Welsh myth.” (from the website “Behind the Name)

I liked that a knight had been named a form of Bedwyr and that, despite the actual meaning, a Welsh mythological hero was named Culhwch.