Dragon Dawn

by Mark E. Cooper

  Frustrated in its search, the matrix changed. She was no longer feeding it, it was feeding itself! Oh God it was hungry, it sucked at her magic like a babe at its mother’s breast. It drank her power down and yet more tendrils of magic spun out and into the void created by the gate. Julia tried to cut the flow. She ripped and tore at her creation trying to sever her link to it and the others.

  The matrix twisted and the gate roared as if in agony, yet the search it had begun continued. Julia sank to her knees fighting and ripping at the monster she had conceived but it wouldn’t let her go. She could feel the others wavering, they were near collapse, but that wouldn’t stop the insanity. The gate would suck them dry of magic and then of their very lives to feed its insatiable need.

  Julia fell forward and caught herself with one hand. The other was still futilely reaching for the gate, almost in supplication. She would have prayed if she thought it would help, but the God had turned his face from her the day Keverin died. She no longer believed that praying did any good. She was cursed, but wasn’t that right? Right or not, it was certainly justice. She deserved no better for all she had done since coming to Deva.

  The roaring and crackling ceased abruptly and the gate snapped into stability with a soundless explosion. A wind gusted into the room bringing with it the scent of hot dust.

  Julia panted and gasped as she pushed herself up onto shaky legs. There was no pain, just a steady and pleasant flow of magic flowing smoothly through her and into the gate’s matrix, which hummed and chuckled happily to itself. Julia blinked at the absurd thought that went through her mind, but she would swear now and later that the gate was immensely pleased with itself—almost proud to have found what it was searching for.

  Julia staggered forward and looked into what had been a void, but was now a doorway to another place. Ruins met her tired eyes. This place wasn’t Castle Black.

  “Where the fuck is it?” she said harshly.

  That was when she saw the robed figure staring at her with his mouth agape. She stepped hastily back as the glow of a mage sprang up around him. She should have killed him when he ran toward her, but she was tired and not at her best. She severed her link to the gate and it slammed shut before the sorcerer could reach her.

  “Well?” Larn said, climbing slowly to his feet.

  Julia helped him up. “Wrong address,” she croaked and wobbled on legs gone rubbery. “I don’t feel well...” she slumped onto her backside at his feet trying to take deep breathes. She watched the coloured lights burst before her eyes and waited for the dizziness to pass. “I’ll try again in a little while.”

  “That won’t work,” an impossible voice said from the open doorway.

  Julia looked up, still panting. There was a tall figure standing in the shadows of the doorway. “Kev?”

  The figure moved and the meagre light of the lamps fell upon his face, but Julia was beyond caring. She slumped back, unconscious before she hit the floor.

  Julia opened her eyes to darkness. “Kev?” she whispered, afraid to hope.

  A shadowy shape rose from a nearby chair and approached the bed. “I’m here.”

  “I’m dreaming, aren’t I?” she said calmly, though her heart was beating so fast he could surely hear it. The ghost of the man she loved laughed. That beloved voice and now his laugh too. “Aren’t I?”

  “No, Julia. You’re not dreaming. You’re as awake as I am. Give me your hand and see.”

  She reached out and he took her hand in his. She pulled gently, and he allowed himself to be guided to the bed. He sat on the edge, so that she could explore his hand with her fingers. She felt the strength of it, remembered the feel of it upon her body. Tears came to her eyes and rolled down her face to soak into the pillow unheeded. She reached up to his face and he kissed her palm. His beard tickled.

  “How can this be? We searched for you. I searched for days and days and found no sign. I’m dreaming. I must be, but I don’t want it to end. God is cruel. He will make me wake as my punishment. I know it.”

  Keverin leaned forward and kissed her. “Shush, don’t talk that way,” he said, his own tears mingling with hers. “I don’t know why you couldn’t find me, but I’m here now, that’s all that matters.”

  “Yes,” Julia pulled him down beside her. “Yes, now is all that matters.”

  She kissed him, hard and long on the mouth until she felt light headed for lack of breath, and still she wanted more of him. Kev was her breath, her life, everything. She was his and he hers, forever. He pulled back a little, breathing heavily and looking at her with eyes full of tears and love. He stroked her cheek, and it was then that she saw he had not returned to her whole. He lay beside her, propped on one elbow and the hand of that arm was… gone.

  “Oh Kev, your poor hand.”

  Keverin looked down, avoiding her eyes and nodded. “Can you forgive me? You warned me, and I did not listen. I should have listened to you… I… my men, our friends…” he took a shuddering breath fighting to keep the pain from escaping. “I killed them all. Oh God, I killed them.”

  She clutched him tightly and cried for his loss. “You are not to blame. It’s him,” she hissed, the hatred blazing up again in her heart despite her tears. “Navarien.”

  “No Julia, don’t hate him. Never hate anyone; it will twist you until you become that which you despise. Gideon taught me that when I was a boy, and he is wise. Much wiser than you or I.”

  Julia didn’t want to talk about Navarien. She didn’t want to talk at all. She pushed Keverin down onto his back and kissed him hungrily. He tried to hide his stump from her by pushing beneath the pillow under his head, but she stopped him. She took the arm and kissed the scars to show he did not need to hide it. She unbuttoned his shirt, and he let her keeping his eyes upon hers. When she reached for the buttons of his trousers, he captured her hand with his.

  “We should not,” he said, his voice husky with need for her.

  She smiled. “The King is here, did you know?”

  He shook his head. “What does that…?”

  “Gylaren and Purcell are both here. Gideon is with Marcus… it’s time you did what you promised. Marry me right away… well, tomorrow. It’s late.”

  Keverin chuckled. “Jessica will cry when she hears she missed it, but yes. I will wed you tomorrow. I should have done it before Devarr…”

  “Shush, I don’t want to hear any more about should haves and could haves, Kev. We will be wed tomorrow no matter what anyone says or does. You promise?”

  Keverin nodded. “Come what may, we will be wed tomorrow.”

  Julia sighed and nodded. She worked the buttons and helped him remove his clothes until he lay naked on her bed. Her eyes devoured him hungrily. He was everything she had ever wanted in a man. She had thought him dead, lost to her forever, but here he was, restored to her. It was a miracle. Julia stepped back from the bed and slowly undressed for him, letting his eyes see what they desired. It was only fair. She blushed at the heat and desire in his eyes.

  “You are more beautiful than I remember, Julia. How is that possible?”

  Funny, she had been thinking the same about him. “I love you so much, Kev. I can’t go through all this again. Don’t ever leave me. I couldn’t bear it.”

  “Never,” he agreed.

  Julia climbed onto the bed and straddled his hips. Keverin stroked her thigh up to her hip and then caressed the skin over her ribs. Julia shivered with anticipation as his hand moved over her stomach and dipped down to her core. She hissed and arched her back as the spike of pleasure ripped through her. Her nipples pebbled and she captured the hand, bringing it up to her breast. He thumbed a nipple, and she groaned. It had been so long.

  They lost themselves in each other.

  * * *

  22 ~ Wedding

  “Thanks Ahnao, thanks Ellyn. I don’t know what I would have done without you,” Julia said, turning this way and that in front of the mirror. Ahnao and Ellyn had spent all morning helping t
o alter the dress to fit.

  “Oh, I think you would have managed,” Ahnao said with a laugh. “I know you too well. You wouldn’t have let Keverin get away, dress or no dress.”

  Julia grinned. “You’re right about that, but this is much nicer for a wedding than my leathers.”

  Ellyn smiled and gathered up the scraps left over from their hard work. “Oh I don’t know about that. They looked nice in a scandalous sort of way, and very comfortable.”

  Julia laughed. She had stopped worrying about scandalising people long ago. Living with the Clans after her kidnapping had been liberating in one way; it had been free of petty worries like how she looked. Of course, it had been fraught with other concerns. Things like staying alive and killing her enemies. Thoughts of one enemy in particular silenced her laughter. General bloody Navarien wasn’t playing fair. His sorcerers had changed their strategy from offence to defence forcing the Shamen to respond in kind. With both sides warding their forces, and neither being able to strike effectively with magic, the war had come down to pitting man against man again. War in Deva had come full circle—sword against sword.

  “Julia, you’re frowning again,” Ahnao chided. “Stop obsessing about what’s going on out there and start thinking about the wedding. You have Keverin to think about now, and if you don’t mind my saying so, its time you gave him a son. Connell will need someone to jump fences with!”

  Julia grinned. “I made a start on that last night.”

  “You didn’t!” Ahnao gasped.

  Ellyn looked just as shocked. “What would Gideon say?”

  “Don’t scold me. Kev appeared out of nowhere like a ghost and I just couldn’t wait any longer. I did make him promise to wed me today.”

  “Yes, but still…” Ahnao shook her head. “You are so odd sometimes.”

  Ellyn nodded emphatically. “But we love you anyway.”

  “I love you too, guys. I… I know I haven’t been a good friend, but I’m going to make it up to you… I just…”

  “Oh hush up!” Ellyn said, stuffing the scraps into her basket. “It’s your God be blessed wedding day! It’s no time for tears, and if you keep on I’m going to be blubbering like an idiot.”

  “Me too,” Ahnao said, looking suspiciously bright eyed.

  Julia tried to smile, but it felt false. “I have to say this, and then I’ll shut up about it. When Kev… when I knew he was dead, I wanted to join him so bad that I nearly gave up and used my magic to kill myself.” Julia ignored the gasps from her friends and went on in a very quiet voice devoid of emotion. “I didn’t obviously, but it was a close thing. Killing Navarien drove me on. I wanted revenge for Kev before I let go. People say I’m mad—”

  “What people? Show them to me and I’ll put them straight!” Ellyn said.

  Julia shrugged. “Just people, everyone really, but it doesn’t matter. They were right anyway. If it wasn’t for Lucius and Mathius I wouldn’t be here now. They kept me alive and and sane enough to keep fighting. I owe them so much. If not for them, I wouldn’t be alive for my wedding day. I owe all my friends more than I can ever repay for staying with me.”

  “Friends don’t owe,” Ahnao said indignantly. “They do it out of love.”

  Julia nodded, they were right. She hugged Ahnao, dragging Ellyn in a moment later. “I love you both very much.”

  They cried and laughed at the silliness of it.

  The moment of closeness was soon over; Ellyn said she wanted to make sure things were ready in the chapel. Lady Direlle was taking care of the preparations down there, she and her lord husband were the hosts after all, but it wouldn’t hurt to check. Ahnao said she would change and then come back to escort Julia downstairs.

  With her friends gone, Julia had only her thoughts for company. Something she had managed to avoid since she lost Kev. “He’s back now. You didn’t lose him; you just misplaced him!” Julia said to fill the quiet. She grinned but it faded all too soon as other thoughts intruded. “How did they hide him from me?”

  Julia shook her head. She doubted she would ever know. She turned to look in the mirror. The dress looked nothing like any wedding dress she had ever seen. In fact, Devan brides didn’t wear a formal wedding dress, nor had Ahnao ever heard of the traditional veil Julia’s birth people would associate with a church wedding. Her gown was one of Ahnao’s dresses altered to fit. Julia was shorter than Ahnao, thank goodness, and it fit her perfectly now. Instead of a veil, Devan brides wore a crown of flowers. Mathius had provided one, somehow magically finding the sweet smelling white blooms out of season and in the middle of a battlefield. She was wearing the crown now. It looked and smelled wonderful, but she couldn’t help thinking about the unintended symbolism of it. She shivered; flowers from a battlefield? She hoped it didn’t mean anything.

  Lucius had provided the rings; one tradition her birth people shared with Deva. He had carried the gold bands with him for years, hoping to give them to his mother, but that dream had died long ago. He had never found her. Julia had accepted the gesture because it meant so much to him, and she hadn’t protested when he fussed about the fit and the design. She secretly wished she could have given her father’s wedding ring to Keverin, but it was lost to her as was her mother’s ring along with everything else she had owned back on Earth. Lucius’ rings glowed subtly with the magic he'd used to size and decorate them. The glow was barely visible and might have been dismissed as a trick of the light had she not been a mage herself. The rings were a matched pair now in more than just looks. Lucius swore they would bring good fortune. Julia wasn’t adverse to that. They needed all the luck they could get.

  * * *

  “…supply caches. The boy walked in as bold as you please and told me how to run the war, can you imagine?” King Gylaren the First said, from where he slouched in a chair watching the proceedings.

  Keverin raised his arms, and Purcell knelt on the rugs in front of him to wrap the sash around Keverin’s waist. “Sounds like a good idea to me.”

  “Oh I agree,” Gylaren said. “I wouldn’t have followed the advice if I didn’t! It’s too loose, Purcell, he’ll be tripping over the damn thing before he gets half way to the altar. And it’s crooked.”

  Purcell grunted in annoyance, and scowled at Gylaren over his shoulder. “Do you want to do this?”

  “I think I better. Get out of the way and let a real man show you how it’s done!”

  Keverin laughed. “Better let him. It does look a bit crooked now that I think about it.”

  The King took Purcell’s place and unwound the dark green sash. “You didn’t leave enough for the knot either.”

  “I’ve been dressing myself for years,” Purcell protested taking up his wine glass again. “Mine isn’t crooked.”

  Gylaren grinned. “That’s because you had a servant wind it, and don’t tell me you didn’t. I know you did.”

  “I might have,” Purcell said loftily and they all laughed. “With the way things are, it’s a shame this has to happen now. Isolde and the children would want to be here. They’ll be a bit upset with me when they find out they missed Julia’s wedding. And what about Farran? I bet he wanted to perform the ceremony as he did for your father.”

  Keverin nodded. The Holy Father had indeed wanted to perform the ceremony, but in Devarr not here or at Athione. “I’m just glad it’s happening at all. I never thought I would marry anyone. When Julia came to Athione, I knew she was the one I wanted. All I could do was pray that she felt the same about me. I should have done this a long time ago. It may have changed the way things turned out.”

  Gylaren knotted the sash and smoothed the trailing ends that hung from Keverin’s left hip. “There. Here’s a bit of advice for anyone soon to be married, stop looking back at what might have been. You’ll both be happier for it.”

  Keverin helped his King to his feet. “I’ll do my best.”

  Gylaren poured more wine and gave one to Keverin. “A toast to the happy couple, my good friends. Long l
ife and happiness!”

  “Keverin and Julia,” Purcell said.

  Keverin raised his glass. “To Julia.”

  They touched glasses and drank.

  Purcell put his empty glass down and stood at the window. “They’re being awfully quiet out there. Do you think they know about the wedding?”

  “My guess is yes,” Gylaren said. “But I doubt that’s why they’re quiet.”

  Keverin pursed his lips in thought. “I don’t know. Navarien seemed a decent sort to me. He might hold back to honour Julia.”

  Purcell snorted.

  “No really,” Keverin said, stroking the golden torque at his throat. “I’m alive today because of him. When they captured me, Navarien called one of his sorcerers to heal me, and he made the man give this back.”

  “Clan work is it not?” Gylaren asked. “I’ve seen a fair few of those since coming here.”

  “No, Julia made this one. Any others you’ve seen must have been worn by Clan chiefs.” Keverin remembered the sorcerer, Anius, taking the torque, and Navarien returning it some time later with an apology. “Navarien is our enemy, but he’s an honourable one.”

  Keverin joined Purcell at the window and stared at the scarred land beyond the moat. The battle lines of both sides were clearly visible from here. Cook fires were alight and the men were eating the midday meal. Thousands of men still lined the earthworks that Jihan had designed, and that reassured him. They wouldn’t be taken unawares. Marcus was out there caring for Athione’s guardsmen and wouldn’t be at the wedding because of that duty. Keverin had talked to him earlier and received congratulations from him and the men. Dozens of people had come to see him since his arrival, mostly nobles who had heeded their King’s call to arms. They all sent their best wishes, but the chapel was too small for them to attend the ceremony, and Keverin was glad. He wanted Julia and his closest friends there, not strangers. Besides, there was a war on and they didn’t dare strip the army of all its commanders, not even for a candlemark.