It didn’t help he could not touch his treasure.
“They will do whatever they can to trap me, and destroy anybody who gets in their way. Such a zealous pursuit of a throne cannot be good. They covet the possessions rather than the honor of caring for the people. Myron refuses to see it. He allows them to swear to the hunt every time.”
“It is their right. They are Chosen women from powerful Houses, Koen, and you show them nothing but disrespect.”
“I cannot stand them, Anastasia in particular. She is a vicious bitch, and I would rather die than lie with her. If she is Empress there will be no peace. Aleksandr is a warmonger, and he has much influence on her. I had hoped if I was sadistic enough she would turn her head elsewhere, but she continues with this obsession.”
Daniil grimaced. “She is quite … persistent isn’t she? Tenacious.”
Koen studied him thoughtfully. “Marina told me something interesting about you.”
“Oh?”
A smile rode Koen’s lips as he thought of the crafty and sometimes mischievous light in Marina’s eyes when she believed she had figured out a puzzle. “She told me you care for Anastasia. That you wish to be her dragon lord?”
There was a long, uncomfortable silence.
“And?”
They had both known for years that he did, yet still they cold not speak it aloud to each other. “Why did you never tell me?”
“You never did ask outright.” Daniil rubbed his face and sighed. “That and the woman has spent her entire life training and fighting to win the right to be your dragon mate. If it did come to pass, how much worse would it have been if I had openly declared undying love for her? When we were younger she wasn’t resistant to the idea of us being together, but she has her obligations She remains pure for you because honor needs her to be. She is a woman to treasure Koen.”
“You know the only reason I have not bitten that icy blonde head from her shoulders is because of your love for her.”
He winced. “And I thank you.”
“But I can no longer so it. What she did to Tatiana–” Koen gritted his teeth. “Fallen are expected in the hunt. It hurts, but my family would have fallen to some other political intrigue or betrayal if not by the hands of the Wyvrae raiding parties. But to know that someone has had a direct hand at leading your kin to death has a way of poisoning you against them.”
“This will soon be over. Marina will be queen and she will claim you.”
“What happens during Aver is largely out of my hands,” Koen said. “I expect you to protect Marina for me. Once it is done, I mean for the Empire to know exactly what she means to me.”
Daniil frowned. “You must fight her Koen. When the hunt is called, you cannot simply let her catch you. She must defeat you in combat.”
“I know that and so does she. We will do what we need to. I will not dishonor her by being anything less than the warrior dragon I am. But Anastasia… .”
“Just evade her like always.”
“No. If Anastasia interferes, if she comes after me, I will kill her. I can no longer ignore her for you. You must make her see you, and have her claim you.”
Daniil stiffened. “You cannot mean–”
“The only reason I have not already killed her is because of my love for you. I see you as my brother.”
“I feel the same,” he said quietly.
“You know me,” Koen warned. “If she approaches me again in a bid to claim me I will kill her. If she harms Marina, I will kill her.”
Daniil rubbed his hand over her face. “Why has it come to this?”
He shrugged and looked outside to watch the gathering clouds, the lightning would start soon. “Only the gods know.” He held up a hand and spread his fingers. “Today I stared at my hand for an hour. Then I turned into a dragon and stared at my claw. Do you know why?”
“You have gone insane?”
“Marina’s fingers fit perfectly between the fingers of my hand when I am a man. When I was a dragon she would snuggle up to my talons, fit herself into my claw and kiss it sweetly, as if one wrong move wouldn’t disembowel her.” He smiled at Daniil when he rolled his eyes. “She is terrified of losing me. I didn’t realize that until today.”
“You didn’t realize the woman who left her home world to come to a land filled with dragons, fire and ice was scared of losing you?” He shook his head. “You are slow sometimes.”
“Daniil. I’m sorry I came here looking for a fight. I know you do your best for her.”
“She’s inspiring,” he admitted freely. “She gives me hope that love between mates is possible, and not simply a rare blessing. I would die before letting her come to any harm.”
Koen watched his face carefully. “You understand my other concerns.”
“What? That she will turn from you and run into my arms?” Daniil snorted. “I have held Marina in my arms and yes there is attraction there. I would be lying to pretend otherwise. She is beautiful, and fierce, and strangely … strangely dragon-like. These are things no dragon can overlook and not come to admire after spending time in her company.” At Koen’s darkening face, he held up a hand. “Yes. My affection runs deeper than that for a friend, but what we could be to each other pales in comparison to what you could be. You are the mate of her heart, and she yours. I would not interfere in that.”
“Marina turns to you for solace.” Koen murmured. “I have seen her, and not because you are her teacher.”
“Can you honestly blame her?”
“No … but she knows I cannot show preference.”
“Then why are you planning on sneaking off to trysts with her?”
Koen flushed and scowled even as his heart thumped. “Trysts?”
Daniil raised an eyebrow. “I know you have not touched, I would smell it on you and her, but to carry out such a foolish plan would place yourselves in needless danger. If you succumb even once, that is it for her. She will lose everything she has worked so hard for. Do not be so bold to think that only I heard your plans.”
“Who?”
“Katya was walking passed.”
Koen sighed heavily. “Damn.”
“Follow the rules. They are there for a reason. Marina runs the greatest risk here, and you know it.”
“I needed that time with her.” He stared at middle distance. “It’s the only thing I can do to show how much I care.”
“You can do that after Aver. No one will condemn you for showing the slightest inclination towards one queen over another. After your kiss at the oath ceremony I doubt the gentry think Marina is anything other than the woman you’ve chosen.”
“You sound so certain,” Koen muttered. “At times I look at Anastasia … how skilled she has become, and I shudder.”
“That is not the usual reaction a dragon has when looking at her,” Daniil said dryly.
“I meant no offence. Simply that I cannot imagine a world where Anastasia was by my side, and Marina was made to watch from a cold throne she’d won, but did not want.”
“She would not be alone,” Daniil said quietly. “I meant what I said. There is genuine attraction there. I would take care of her, as I would expect you to take care of Anastasia, despite how you feel about her.”
Koen snorted. “Honor and tradition. Sometimes I think we are mad. We sit here discussing a possible future where we are mated to the women the other of us loves.”
“It is the sacrifice men of rank must pay. We are dragon lords, and we are sworn to serve and protect these lands.” Daniil gave a faint smile. “It’s why we get to sleep in such nice houses and wear such fine clothes.” He quirked an eyebrow. “So … how about putting some of those fine clothes on?”
Surprised, Koen glanced down at his naked self, and threw back his head to laugh. With a listless wave of his hand, he summoned his clothes. It was just in time; as a nervous attendant brought tea, and he doubted the sight of his scarred body would have done anything but give the young woman nightmares, and an
unhealthy fear of dragon lords. Despite his refusal, Daniil poured Koen a bowl, ignoring the formality and ceremony usually employed since they were family.
He gestured for them to move to the window. “It’s starting,” he said wistfully, and smiled when the first lights started in the clouds.
The flashes highlighted wild dragons swarming beneath the overcast, daring to fly closer to the storm. The next day there would be a few found dead. They would be stripped of their precious hides, ivory, and hair. Then the carcass would be burned, as was tradition. The dragons knew the dangers of riding in a storm, but did it for the thrill.
Dragon lords felt the same pull, but were forbidden. The chance of death was too great.
When the first bolts struck the ground, Koen savored the image that one day Marina and he might slip away and ride out into a storm together. She was bold enough to take the risk.
“Tomorrow, I will take Marina to the Barren to harvest fulgurites,” Daniil said. “She will enjoy that.” He smirked. “It would be fortunate if you happened to be flying passed seeking your own.”
Koen slanted him a look then grinned.
Chapter 19
Hours before dawn, Daniil gave the surly woman slouched before him his most charming smile. “What do you see?”
Still scrubbing the crust of sleep from her eyes, and experiencing icy shivers in her bones that came from an abrupt awakening, Marina was having none of it. “Is this some kind of sick joke? I can still see stars overhead. Nighttime isn’t even over yet.”
Daniil exhaled sharply, and crossed muscular arms over his broad chest. His golden warrior braids shifted as he tilted his head at that scolding angle she hated. She was disgusted he could look so attractive so early and with so little sleep.
“What do you see,” he repeated.
“Some people need sleep, you know. I used to take these delicious afternoon naps–”
“Marina…” he warned.
She sighed. “I see black sand. Lots and lots of empty space and gritty, horrible, black sand.” She kicked said sand and spluttered when the wind tossed it back in her face. She squinted at Daniil and found him searching the skies. “What you looking for?” she asked, turning her own gaze skyward as she brushed grains of sand off her cheek and neck.
“Nothing. Last night there was an electrical storm. We had to come out here early because soon this place will be crawling with people. It’s safer this way,” he admitted.
Daniil had gotten it into his head that she was in imminent danger, but Marina had yet to sense any kind of deadly threat from anyone. A few evil looks tossed her way, but her scowl could deflect those easy enough. Maybe the real reason she felt so safe was because Daniil was so cautious. What they called ‘politics’ in this world often were excuses to murder and embezzle, and if Marina could stay alive long enough to love her dragon, and be a positive effect on the Empire she wouldn’t bitch and moan at Daniil for some lost sleep to ensure that.
Well, she wouldn’t bitch and moan as much as she usually would.
“The storm was pretty,” she said. “Loud too.” You get them a lot?”
“At least once a week. The wild dragons love them. All dragons do, but they are dangerous, and forbidden to the dragon lords. Sometimes a lightning strike is too powerful to survive.”
“I saw them,” she murmured. “The wild dragons. They danced in-between the forks that split the sky. It was beautiful.”
“Yes, and though the storms are mesmerizing they leave behind something even more beautiful, and useful. When lightning hits the sand it crystallizes into fulgurites, clear as glass and beautiful as gemstones.” He knelt down by a dark patch in the sand and swiped his hand over it a few times. “It creates long shards of crystal that we harvest and use to make jewelry and decorations for our homes. It takes time but once you free the crystal it is worth it.” He started digging. “Find one and dig it out with your hands. They can reach up to four-shaku in length. If you have to dig for a while don’t worry. At times the crystallizations starts further down.”
Marina did as he said. Spotting another dark patch of sand, she swiped her hand over it and had to keep digging for a few minutes before she felt something smooth like glass. She dug around it and soon had a mound of black sand around her. She quickly became frustrated as the loose sand kept pouring into the hole she dug. Unhooking a flask of water, she poured half into the sand around the glass. It was then much easier to manipulate the wet sand, and after a bit more digging, she had her fulgurite sticking out of a hole. She pulled it out and stared at it.
It was ugly as sin.
Daniil walked up to her with a larger piece, but when he saw hers, he smiled encouragingly. “Very nice.”
Marina made a dubious face and rubbed at the fulgurite. Loose sand fell away and some other crusty black stuff revealing the smooth surface underneath. It was knobby, but so beautiful. She rubbed away more sand, and Daniil sat down beside her to work on his.
Soon, they had clean, and shiny rods of crystal that glimmered in the starlight.
Daniil’s had a slight green tint to it, but hers was pure darkness. A smoky color that was breathtaking, and she knew would look sensational against Koen’s skin. “So how do I use this?”
“Well. We can carve it into a decoration or whittle it down into gifts. Some like to leave it just as. You do have a remarkable design there. It was beautiful, the lightning that caused this one.” His finger traced around a twist on her crystal. “It would be a shame to change it.”
Marina chewed her lip. “If I give Koen a gift the other Chosen will too, won’t they?”
Daniil winced. “Yes. It will be their right.” He rocked back onto his heels and looked at the sky again, frowning.
“What are you looking for?” she asked, looking for something or someone that would explain his need to keep looking up.
“Nothing.”
***
The zesty morning sky was still dark blue, and in the training courtyard of the Red Citadel, Daniil threw Marina a wooden staff about the thickness of her wrist and a good foot higher than her body. She grimaced at its weight and awkward length, but she was able to lift it well enough. It was joined in the middle so when she twisted it, it slid apart slightly.
Daniil had a similar staff that he separated fully, nodding for her to do the same.
“This is a Bō and is effective against prolonged close up attacks where you have space to move. When space is tighter, it can be separated into two halves. It is not a good weapon when you expect your enemy to have kanabo.”
“Kanabo,” she repeated. “Which is?” Daniil pointed to the huge iron clubs that Marina couldn’t even lift let alone wield as a weapon. She eyed Daniil’s Bō and the rest of the wooden lengths lined up on the wall. She compared the length of his weapon to hers. “Why is mine smaller?”
“Because you are smaller. The full length Bō is eight-shaku in length. It’s simply too long for you Marina.” He touched the rounded top of her staff and frowned sternly at her displeased face. “You’ve never had a problem with using smaller weapons before.”
She looked away and nodded once. “Sorry. I was being oversensitive. Just sick of literally coming up short compared to the other Chosen. I can’t lift half the weapons and everything I use is in child size. It’s embarrassing.”
“So your plan is to spend the precious time before Aver begins sulking?”
“No,” she replied hotly. “But I hear you, no more wallowing. Let’s start.”
“Follow me,” Daniil ordered.
With a small nod, he used magick to push a two-headed drumstick hanging from a hemp rope into swinging back and forth between two large drums. At the end of each sway was a deep and steady thump.
“Keep in time to the knocks,” Daniil said and slowly started to strike at her with firm even strokes.
Marina duly blocked his strikes, and countered with her own. The weight of the weapon took its toll on her tired limbs and sleep-deprive
d mind.
Before long, she was sweating, breathing hard, and struggling to keep up. Daniil alternated between standing and crouching as he lashed out. Up down, up down, and her thighs burned, and her arms ached. All the while the strokes from his staff increased in frequency, alternated in aim, and force, to keep her off-balance and guessing what he would do next.
“Ku is an important element,” he explained. “It is a gift to help you be the dragon mate of an Emperor, the mate of a phoenix. You must be spontaneous and creative even when something seems like it’ll require nothing but the routine from you. I’m a dragon lord renown for my guile and warskill. My only secret is that I know what people expect of me and do the opposite.”
The clacks of the wood were soothing when they had first started, but as her energy drained Marina came to a point where she waited to hear the slap of hard wood on hot flesh.
The first strike to her thigh had her stumbling, and crying out. Another to her back had her cursing, and swinging wildly for him to back off. Marina caught the next few strikes, but soon Daniil was too fast, and she ended up covered in red welts over her upper arms and thighs.
Drenched in sweat, face pinched in pain, she stung and ached all over, and frankly was relieved when Daniil spun to knock her feet from under her so she fell flat on her back.
Tapping the end of his Bō on her stomach, he shook his head. “You think wood is painful, imagine a blade that can cut through steel when wielded properly. Your flesh is delicate, and our katana will slice through it like butter. The other Chosen will not hesitate to cut you down. I understand you have no wish to harm them. If so, you must be better than them. You must be able to incapacitate them without delivering a killing blow. That, Majesty, is harder than you could possibly imagine.”
She huffed, and spat when she felt the dirt stuck to the side of her sweaty face. “My ass hurts.”
Daniil laughed and offered a forearm to help her up. “That is enough for today.”
Clasping the arm, she brightened as she stood. “Really?”
His brow lowered and he shook his head. “You fall for that every day. The sun hasn’t even risen yet this morning.”
Smolder (Dragon Souls) Page 19