by K. E. Young
He dithered for a while before starting on the letter to his father. He wished he got along better with his father, but he was too much his mother's son. Sometimes he wondered how they had ever bonded enough to create a child, but he remembered they had been inseparable when he was little. It was when he got older that they drifted apart. He had always wondered what had caused the increasing rift. It wasn't something his mother ever spoke of. When questioned, she would shake her head and look sad.
It was past midnight when he had finished the final letter to his satisfaction. He sealed all three and took them to Dragos' office. Dragos' secretary was still working and added Kaio's letters to the satchel being prepared for Arhis.
He wandered back to his rooms thinking about the changes of the past few days. He remembered the look on Sara's face when she said, "I don't want to go back." If she said the same thing to him now, he would abandon everything so she wouldn't have to go back. So much had changed.
He was almost to his apartment when he heard the voices.
"I'm sorry sir, we can't do that. Lady Sara isn't going anywhere without orders from Lord Shalatu himself. Not even at the command of the High-Lord."
Kaio turned the last corner to see the guards at his door facing off against a squad in the High-Lord's livery. "What's going on here?"
The squad leader turned to address him. "We have orders to take Lady Sara to the High-Lord immediately."
His dragon's rage flared and Kaio felt the prickle of scales and the cool catching of claws as rage brought his dragon forward. Someone should have reminded the lad that lying to a dragonlord doesn't work. "Indeed? Dragos said nothing. Are you sure it was the High-Lord?" Kaio's voice deepened and roughened. He flexed the claws that had manifested on his fingers and decided which of them was to die first. None matched Dagresh's description. "If you tell me where he is I'll let you live."
The squad leader looked nervous. "The High-Lord is no doubt in his quarters."
Kaio growled to himself. "Never lie to a dragonlord boy! I don't care about you. You made a stupid choice of employers, but you still have a chance to survive this night. I want Dagresh and I'll peel you like a piece of fruit to get him. Now… Where is he?"
The leader gulped and looked at the guards on Kaio's door. They were hardened marines and showed no signs of budging while Calum was grimly watching for Lord Shalatu's signal. The squad leader looked back at the angry lord and blanched as he finally noticed the claws and scales on Kaio's hands. "He's here in the palace. There's an entrance to the sewers in the basement of the east wing."
"Congratulations. You and your men get to live." Kaio turned to Calum. "Get me a squad to hunt Dagresh down. Sara does not go unprotected."
"Yes, my lord!" Calum nodded to the marine on his left and ran down the hall.
The marines divested the false squad of their weapons and put them in restraints. Kaio checked on Sara to make sure she was all right. When Calum returned it was with two squads, one to follow Kaio in his hunt and the other to take the prisoners into custody. Kaio questioned the squad leader in more depth about Dagresh's location before restraining him with the others. Calum divested the false guards of their stolen tunics before leading them to the prison. At Kaio's order, the guards accompanying him donned the tunics so as to mislead Dagresh. Kaio hoped the dimness of the basement kept Dagresh from noticing these weren't his men long enough to get close. He had chosen those with the greatest physical resemblance, but it wouldn't be enough if Dagresh knew his men well. Illusion magic could make his men look like Dagresh's, but it couldn't make them sound or move like them.
They hurried to the basement. He briefed them on his plan along the way and made sure they knew what to do and say. As they got close, Kaio used his magical talents to disguise the faces of his men and hide his own presence. He silently thanked the Goddess his greatest magical talents were in illusion and shadow.
As they came to the final turn, Dagresh stepped from the shadows. "Where is she? I ordered you to get the female. She does my Master no good in the hands of the dragon men. She had better not be dead."
"Lord Shalatu has increased the guard on his quarters and they refuse to release her to anyone without the approval of Lord Shalatu — in person."
"The marines were paid to release her to you! Wait…"
Dagresh didn't get to finish the thought as Kaio slipped in behind him and whipped an arm across his throat to cut off his air. Two of the squad grabbed his arms and pulled them straight out to the sides while two others disarmed him and searched for hidden weapons. When Dagresh stopped struggling Kaio let go and the squad restrained him.
Instead of taking Dagresh to the prison, Kaio and his squad trekked back to his quarters. Kaio left Dagresh in the hands of his squad in the hallway while he checked on Sara. Dagresh's comment about paying off the marines had worried him. She was still asleep and resting comfortably so he went back to the hallway and had one of his squad wake Sano. He didn't dare leave Sara with just the marines to guard her anymore. He feared there was more to this than he had thought.
Sano wasn't happy when he arrived. He had gotten no more sleep than Kaio had the past couple of days and hadn't the benefit of a nap. Kaio took him far enough down the hallway the guards wouldn't overhear. "Sorry about waking you my friend, but Dagresh said something before we took him that has me worried. A squad of men in tunics of the High-Lord's guard came to take Sara into custody. When I confronted them, the leader admitted Dagresh was waiting for them in the basement. There's a hidden entrance from the sewer. Calum gathered one squad to take them into custody and escort them to prison while another squad accompanied me to take Dagresh."
Kaio glanced down the hall at the marines and Dagresh. "When we got close, Dagresh asked where Sara was. He said she did no good to his master in the hands of the dragon men. He then asked why the marines hadn't released her to the squad as he paid them to do."
Sano ran an exasperated hand through his hair. "Paid? Demon spit! I thought we had more time. So you don't dare leave her with them until Calum gets back."
"Exactly."
"We need dragonkin guards."
"I have a request for a full contingent going out with Arhis tomorrow."
Sano sighed. "Which does us no good tonight." He thought for a few moments. "Something isn't right here. If Dagresh knew about the marines and had time to pay them off, then he had to know we have Fanul in custody. So why is he worried Sara will lead us to his master?"
Kaio scrubbed his face. "I don't know. I think we've missed someone or something. That's why I don't dare leave her unprotected. There's a lot more to this than Fanul and his appetites and I don't like it. I need her safe, but I can't send her to Drakken until after the wedding or Urash will push her into marrying him. He would hurt her badly."
Sano's eyebrows rose. "Um… Wedding?"
Kaio blinked. "Ah, that's right. It happened after dinner. Sara has agreed to become my mate. The wedding is in a week. The letters to Urash and my parents go out tomorrow with Arhis."
Sano laughed. "You waste little time, my friend."
Kaio scrubbed at his face. "I was lucky she agreed. I don't have the luxury of courting her properly. When the Emperor learns an unmarried female earth mage was kidnapped, tortured, and is still in danger, what do you think he'll do? He'll insist we escort her to Drakken for safety. Once she's there, he'll manipulate her into marrying him so he can sire an heir and it won't matter what it would do to her after everything she's survived. I can't let him hurt her and the single means of preventing it is to claim her first. I care for her and she trusts me to keep her safe. Goddess alone knows why. We're only waiting a week to give her time to recover."
"Women want more than safety Kaio." Sano's wry grin belied the rebuke implied in the words. Sano would know. He had been a favored target of women of all ages since he had hit puberty. They liked both his easy charm and his pretty face.
Kaio expression turned grim. "If you knew what her life wa
s like before the Goddess brought her here you would understand. Safe is something she hasn't had since her father died when she was a child. Fanul wasn't the worst in her life. He wasn't even the first to torture her."
Sano's grin died. "You're sure?"
Kaio nodded grimly. "She wasn't lying. My dragon is sure of it. She was about to kill herself when the Goddess took her. She deserves a fresh start, Sano, and I need to make it up to her. I've played my own part in making life hard for her."
Sano's measured look was serious. They'd had conversations on this subject before. "Yes, you have. I understand why her behavior bothered you so much, but I still think you were too harsh."
"I know. She tied me in knots. I'll make it up to her."
Sano squeezed his shoulder. "I'll get Dagresh locked up for you. He gets his very own cell, away from everyone else. I'll question him when I've gotten some sleep. I'll also look into the tunics. They shouldn't have been able to get those without someone saying something. Are you willing to get the sewer entrance locked down?"
Kaio nodded tiredly. "In the morning. Meanwhile, post a guard on it. I'm not happy they knew a route into the palace we don't. What else has gone through there? Perhaps when she recovers, my lady can help us track down and seal any other hidden entrances."
Sano smiled warmly. "You're utterly lost. She's the reason your most recent fight with your father was so vitriolic isn't she?"
Kaio flushed, but nodded.
Sano laughed and collected the waiting squad and Dagresh.
Kaio quietly entered his room, not wanting to wake Sara. She was already awake though and looked thoughtful. "My lady, you should be resting."
Sara snorted and said, "I have rested enough for any four people. I'm bored. Do you have anything to read?"
Kaio laughed. He hadn't realized she had a sense of humor. He was glad she trusted him enough to show it. "I believe I can find something for you. What kind of books do you want?"
"Do you have anything on Drakken or dragons? I have a lot to learn." Her expression was ashamed and he got the feeling she was trying to cover what she considered a lack on her part.
He smiled and sat on the bed next to her. "My lady, you have found the one subject I cannot provide a book for. I'm not sure the book you want even exists. However, since we are to marry, I will answer any question you have. If I cannot, I'm sure my mother will. I wrote a letter to her tonight telling her about you. I'm sure she'll insist my father bring her here as soon as she gets the message. She'll like you. I hope you like her too."
Her expression was serious and a little uncertain. "Are you sure? People rarely like me."
Kaio brushed a strand of hair off her face. "I don't think people often get to know you. I find the more I get to know you, the more I like you."
She blushed but looked pleased. "You may be right. It has been a long time since I let myself get to know anyone. It always seems people learn more about me and decide I am too much effort. They run away. Then after the fire, no one wanted to get even that close." Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes.
"Sara, you needn't dwell on it anymore. It's over. That entire life is over. It's time to start fresh. There is no need for tears."
She smiled even as the tears spilled. "You make it sound so simple and I'm not so sure it is."
Her tears hurt. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to her forehead. "My One, you have suffered much, but you aren't alone anymore. You don't have to be strong enough to survive on your own. You have my strength to aid you. I will support and protect you always."
"What if you tire of me? What if you realize you don't like me after all?"
His frustration reared its head again, although for different reasons this time. "Sara… I am not like the men you have known. My dragon affects me in ways you aren't yet familiar with so perhaps you don't realize you can trust me in this. I will not stray, I will not waver, and I will not betray you. Ever. My dragon is already devoted to you and dragons mate for life. I should be the one worried about you regretting the choice because I fear you're stuck with me. You've been stuck with me for longer than I've cared to admit even to myself."
She was silent for a time, unable to meet his eyes. Her voice was small and shy when she eventually responded. "Oh."
He rested his forehead against hers. "Will you promise me something? Will you promise to give me a chance? Don't assume I'll abandon or reject you?"
"I'll try." Her voice wavered.
Kaio's heart broke for her and he couldn't help but pull her into his arms again. It was where she belonged. He nuzzled her hair and murmured, "You humble me, Sara. I hope you will trust me fully someday but I know that day is not today. I have much to make up for first."
She sniffled and knotted her hands in his tunic. "I do like you. I always wondered why you hated me. I was never good enough."
Shame washed over him. He had done this. He made her feel unworthy. How was he going to make it up to her?
"It was never you I hated, it was your meekness. I knew you were better. I could see it almost as clearly as my dragon could. Yet you walked around as if you were less than dirt underfoot and I didn't understand why. I do now and I tell you, you are not less. You deserve more than life has given you and are more worthy than anyone else I know."
He held her close as the tears fell. These were gentler tears and were quick to pass, but still draining both physically and emotionally. Kaio sat there with her in his arms, stroking her hair long after she had fallen asleep. He didn't want to let go of her. She calmed his dragon into somnolent contentment.
Calum's entrance roused him from his trance. "Is she all right, my lord?" he whispered.
Kaio nodded and whispered back. "She's strong. She'll be fine. It will take time though. Not all scars are on the surface and her life before the Goddess brought her here was … not kind. This whole incident brought back many memories and added new ones. Reopened wounds are always painful."
Calum looked solemn. "She kind of reminds me of my cousin Varta. The miller's son and his bullyboy friends caught her. She was never the same after. When her betrothed refused her, she went out to the barn and hung herself. Lady Sara has the same look about her as Varta did before she died, the way she holds herself.
"The miller was from Therys although he waited until long after he was settled and accepted to tell anyone. The townsfolk insisted on punishing his son for what he did, but the miller said Varta wasn't worth the furor. She was just a woman. When the town bailiff arrested his son anyway, he gathered all his gold, set fire to the mill and freed his son from the bailiff's cellar while the fire distracted everyone. They disappeared. He's why I'm here. I wanted to help the dragonlords trying to change Therys so that kind of thing wouldn't happen again."
"I for one am glad you're here. You need to know — when we took Dagresh we found he paid the marines to let him take Sara."
Calum grinned. "I'm not surprised. A few of them were paying special attention to you, me, and Thorn as if they were sizing us up. I may have mentioned to them that you've bested an entire squad at once and allow only the best to train under you. I may also have mentioned there wasn't a cave deep enough to hide in if they angered you." His eyes skated to Kaio's hands. "I didn't know dragonlords could change parts of themselves. It was — intimidating."
Kaio had to stifle his laughter. "Only royal dragons can do the partial change. I think Sano needs to promote you."
Calum's pleased expression was answer enough. "I wouldn't complain if that happened. You look tired, my lord. Perhaps you should rest. I'll be moving between the rooms more often tonight, but I'll try not to wake you."
"Thank you. Sara isn't sleeping as deeply anymore." Kaio paused as something occurred to him. "For Sara's safety and comfort I will build a proper Drakkeni household here. There would be a spot for you if you wish it. We can discuss it in more detail later if you have questions."
Calum gaped in surprise. "I… I will consider your offer, my lord.
"
Kaio smiled. Despite Calum's professed desire to fix Therys, Kaio knew he would accept. It felt right. He nodded to Calum then turned his attention to Sara, carefully laying her down and tucking her in, then waiting until he was sure she wouldn't wake before standing up.
Once again, he went to sleep with his boots on and weapons to hand. He still felt tense from the night's occurrences and didn't trust he wouldn't have to wake to a fight or another issue. Despite this and the discomfort of the cot, he was quick to fall asleep.
Sara: 32nd of Hunting, 3837
I woke at dawn. Kaio was on the cot again, fully dressed. He didn't look very comfortable. Maybe I could convince him to let me take the cot, I was shorter, and my feet wouldn't dangle off the edge the way his did. I would sleep more comfortably on it than he would.
When I looked around for the maid I didn't see her, but I saw my robe draped over the back of the chair next to me. I got up and put it on as quietly as I could. The stiffness was fading, but everything still hurt. None of which changed the need to empty my bladder. I was on my way back to bed when a guard entered the room. He looked familiar, but it didn't stop my anxiety.
He broke into a smile. "My lady!" he whispered. "I'm glad to see you recovering. My name is Calum. I lead the guard contingent watching over you during the night. Sorry to disturb you, I was doing a final check before Thorn takes over the duty for the day. We'll have more guards from Drakken soon. These long shifts are wearing. Lord Arhis left two hours ago. From what I hear, he should be there in another three. We may see the additional guards arrive before nightfall."
"Good to hear." Kaio's voice was rough from sleep. "Dragos must have dragged him out of bed. Arhis likes his sleep and if he left that early it was because someone wouldn't let him dawdle."
"I'm sorry I woke you, my lord." Calum looked like a kid caught stealing from the cookie jar.
"Truthfully, it was Sara moving about that woke me. I'm oversensitive to her presence right now. I worry about her safety and well-being."