by Megan Derr
Face hot, he turned away. He was a man, yet at the moment he felt very much like an untried boy. Disconcerted, he did not notice the door swing further open or the two men jerk apart inside. Suddenly desperate for solitude, he stumbled into the first empty room he came to.
A treasury of some sort. He was briefly distracted by the discovery, utterly disgusted that the general mayhem of the castle was so bad it resulted in such a room being left unlocked. It made him wince to think of how much must have already been lifted from the chamber.
It was entirely possible that Vladimir himself was emptying the room to pay for his makeshift army, but he probably wasn't the only one helping himself. Bran tried to focus on thoughts of Vladimir, but his mind was determined to return again and again to the image of his new friends kissing each other like there was nothing else in the world they'd rather do
Facing still burning, he looked around the room for distractions. His eyes landed on a small cask, the lid thrown back to display a mass of jewelry. Some of the pieces were pretty, but a closer examination revealed them all to be fake jewels.
He lingered on a piece that looked somewhat out of place alongside the others. Instead of gold or silver chain, it was a thin band of soft, pliant brown leather. And rather than glass, the yellow-brown stone set in gold and fastened to the leather was quite real.
He drew a sharp intake of breath, realizing what it was he held in his hand. But why was it right here in plain sight? Then again, why would anyone think it worth hiding away? The dragon that had once worn it was long dead, so far as they knew.
Without hesitation he stowed the necklace beneath his jerkin, then spun on his heel and, checking the hallway, crept quietly out of the treasury and toward the back of the castle. Nodding in passing to the servants in the kitchen, he slipped out the back entrance and across the yard, sending chickens and ducks scattering, a few annoyed goats yelling at him.
Dark was rapidly approaching, and so he wasted no time in making his way across the field and into the forest, following Topaz's directions. He made his way along the road there until he came across the tree Topaz had said he would find.
Stepping around it, he could just make out a path. He glanced up—it was getting far too dark to attempt the unknown way.
"Need a light, brother?" Gerald spoke up from behind him. Light flared as he lit a torch.
Bran spun around, thoroughly dismayed that he had let himself be so easily followed.
Keverick agreed. "You must be troubled indeed, brother, to let yourself be so careless."
"I am more curious to know your reasons for following me." He put his hand to the hilt of his sword. "I prefer to call you friend rather than enemy."
"Peace, brother." And Bran suddenly realized they were nervous. Gerald raised the torch so they could better see each other. "We were afraid only that the…incident in the supply room might have displeased you. Then we thought it strange that you would choose now to take a walk."
Bran was grateful suddenly for the dark. "My apologies for disturbing you. I had not expected…" he fell silent. "Be at peace. I was surprised, nothing more."
They relaxed. Keverick smiled. "That is good to hear. So why do you take walks in strange woods at night? Is there anything we can assist you with?"
"I had hoped to beat the dark here," Bran said slowly.
"Be at peace, brother, please. Secrets we can keep, and if it is mischief you are about, then our assistance you could probably use. Better to help a friend than that snake back in the keep."
"Mayhap…" Bran laughed briefly at the description of Vladimir as a snake.
"We intend you no harm. It is only that in you we see a kindred spirit. We would like to assist you, if we may."
Bran nodded slowly. "It is true that I could use the assistance. ."
"We shall prove only helpful, I vow it." Gerald held the torch out to him. "Lead on, brother." Hands free, he swung his crossbow from his shoulder. The muscles in his arms rippled and pulled as he loaded it. Beside him Keverick drew his sword. "Never know what awaits you in these woods."
At that, Bran could not help but laugh. "On the contrary, I know exactly what awaits me in these woods. But as you say, there could be a surprise or two." He drew his own sword and turned to lead the way.
They walked in silence, all of Bran's attention on their path to avoid losing them in the forest. He smiled faintly as they commented between themselves on how strangely silent the forest was. Suddenly he went still, cocking his head as a sound reached his ears. He smiled. "I hear water."
"What?" Keverick asked.
"A waterfall." Bran smiled. "We are nearly to our destination.
Sure enough, only moments later they reached a waterfall of only perhaps a dozen feet or so in height poured into a small pond at the center of the clearing. Moonlight cast strange shadows on the grass and water.
"By the Queen! What is that!" Gerald half-shouted, stumbling to a halt so abruptly that Keverick crashed into his back.
"It…" Keverick spoke in an awed whisper.
Bran laughed, sheathed his sword, and approached Topaz, stretched out along the bank of the pond. He stroked Topaz's muzzle. "Good evening."
You brought friends, I see.
"What was that?" Gerald asked.
"Indeed I did."
Are you sure that was wise? They seem rather jumpy.
Keverick was staring at them oddly. "I think…I think the dragon is talking."
"Dragons do not talk."
I beg to differ.
Bran propped his torch in the hole of an old tree stump. "Be at ease, friends. Topaz will do you no harm."
"Topaz?" Keverick asked, sheathing his own sword and warily approaching. "The dragon has a name?"
The dragon would prefer you speak to him, rather than around him.
Staring at the dragon in uncertainty, Keverick slowly nodded. "Of course. My apologies. I feared my sense had fled me. Instead it seems my manners have run off."
Accepted.
"How is it you are able to speak, dragon? Forgive me, Topaz."
All dragons are capable of speech.
"It is humans who are incapable of listening." Bran finished for him.
You are taking away my fun.
"You still have Gerald rendered speechless."
"I am not speechless. Merely trying to ascertain whether or not I have lost my mind." He glared at Bran in wry amusement. "I can see why you were unconcerned about trekking through a forest in the dark."
Wolves are occasionally a concern.
"Not funny."
It is to me.
Bran snorted, and then smiled at his confused-looking friends. He motioned them to sit and explained how he and Topaz met, as well as what they were up to.
Gerald yawned as Bran finished the tale. "How fascinating."
"You really think the two of you can bring this country under control?"
Better than doing nothing.
"It makes no sense to me that this chaos has continued on so long unchallenged. Why have the people not risen up? Rebellions can go a long way in the right situation. 'Tis how the South broke free, years and years ago."
I am not sure you three would ever notice it; a few decades ago I would not have. There is a barrier preventing anyone from leaving the country; from what I can read of you three, there are few soldiers left. My impression is that the people are too busy trying to survive to mount a rebellion. They also lack a leader—a rebellion without a leader is nothing more than a riot.
"No one in the castle will do anything; they are all too busy trying to stab one another in the back." Gerald grimaced. "What do you mean by a barrier?"
Bran looked up at Topaz. "You mean sage work?"
Yes. Vladimir, I suspect. After Rowan, he was the strongest sage.
"Poor betrayers indeed, if after slaying their king they could not take control."
Too much infighting. They all of them were deceivers; after their mutual goal was accompl
ished, their cooperation dissolved. How do you trust men whom you know are quite capable of betrayal?
"So what do we do now? Four have no better a chance at overthrowing a sage and his minions than do two."
I am more interested in why the two of you are so ready to rise to a cause with which you have nothing to do. It ill-fits with the mercenary image you are attempting to portray.
Bran frowned at those words and glanced with suspicion and disappointment at the men he'd already started to regard as friends.
Keverick grinned lazily. "Oh?"
"We are knights of the South, sent by our queen to investigate what is occurring here in the North." Gerald looked apologetically at Bran. "That is why we latched onto you on the way here. You were clearly Western, and the West seldom interferes in anything. You have no need—the West Kingdom is the strongest and most stable of the four Realms. We wondered if perhaps your plans were similar to our own. It turns out they are, after a fashion. We were not trying to deceive, it just seemed pointless to mention why we were hired to come here."
"Is there anything else you are withholding?" Bran asked coolly.
Now, now Bran. You trusted them enough to bring them here. Do not doubt yourself now. Little has changed, and I read nothing dishonest in their thoughts. They seem genuinely interested in helping.
Bran frowned at Topaz.
Do not look at me like that. And they cannot hear me now, so if you share your thoughts, you need not worry they will learn them from me.
I am not angry. But if you knew all along, you might have shared the knowledge with me.
It seemed a relatively small thing. As they say, it changes nothing. Merely who is really paying them to get into fights here. Something else is bothering you.
Have you not already read those thoughts? Bran felt his cheeks turn hot, and once more he thanked the darkness for hiding his flush. He was too old to be acting in such a manner, but he still could not forget the image of the two men together in the supply room.
I see. And I do not 'read' thoughts, as you say, unless they are at the forefront of your mind. As they are now. How amusing, that you are so easily flustered by a simple kiss.
Can we discuss this later? Or never?
I meant no offense, Bran. It is rare that you are so discomfited. Topaz's voice was sly, and his nostrils flared a moment before he returned his attention to Gerald and Keverick. I think the issue is resolved. You are sincere in wanting to assist us?
"Yes," Gerald nodded. "That is our duty, and it would benefit all four nations if the North was stable once again. It is not the only country to have suffered from its isolation."
"Better than working for Lord Snake."
"We have not been here a day yet and already you are that disgusted with him?" Bran asked with a laugh.
Keverick wrinkled his nose. "I know a bad leader when I see—and smell—him. He would never last a day under the service of the queen. I am impressed he has lasted as long as he has here."
His magic is a large part of that. To get rid of it, you must kill him. But to kill him you must get past his magic.
"Why can we not simply put you to work?" Gerald asked. "A dragon could end things quite easily."
"The cost would be too high…and Topaz was once a friend of the king and his sage."
I could provide more assistance if I were able to assume my human form for more than a few hours.
"Oh!" Bran smacked himself. "How could I forget?" He dug beneath his jerkin and pulled free the necklace he had discovered earlier. "Is this your necklace?"
By the…Bran, where did you find that?
"So this is it?" he asked eagerly.
Yes…that is my necklace. Bran had never heard Topaz's voice tremble before.
"So how does it work?"
Simple, really. Topaz chanted his spell, and Bran closed his eyes to avoid the disorientation that always accompanied it. When he opened them again, Topaz was human.
Whatever he had meant to say was forgotten as the memory of the supply room kiss slammed through him. But instead of Gerald and Keverick, the image was of him and Topaz. Bran started coughing, embarrassed and disconcerted as it struck him that his admiration of Topaz's beauty was not as innocent as he had assumed. He was immensely grateful Topaz was currently human, where he could not read Bran's thoughts.
He forced those thoughts away until he had the time to ponder them, and warily looked at Topaz as he accepted the necklace Bran held out. He ignored the questioning look Topaz sent him, shaking his head and waiting in silence as Topaz donned the necklace. "That is all that is required?"
"Yes. The necklace merely 'locks' the spell so that it cannot be undone—except by removing the necklace. How Rowan accomplished it, I know not. My lessons ended prematurely."
"I thought you were a dragon." Gerald finally managed. Beside him Keverick was still silent.
"I am," Topaz said, smoothing the front of his dark tunic. His earrings jangled as he moved to brush strands of hair from his face. "It is a long story…suffice to say that Rowan, the sage who rescued me, created a spell to make me human."
"Why?" Keverick asked.
"Because, to use his words, there are things I can only understand when I am human. He was quite intent on teaching me many things. And there were things we both learned that took us rather by surprise." Topaz for a moment looked sad, but it was gone a moment later. "Are you going to be all right?"
"We will be fine. Do not mind us. We are a trifle overwhelmed, but we shall recover."
"Excellent." Topaz turned to Bran. "And you?"
"I?"
"Something appears to be bothering you."
"I'm fine, just a bit tired."
Topaz quirked a brow but let it go.
Bran coughed. "So what do we do now?"
"We gather the bandits," Topaz replied. "Amongst the soldiers, I had many friends. They loved the king and greatly respected Rowan. Hopefully they will not have forgotten me."
"To think that only weeks ago I was killing these men, and now I must recruit them to a cause I barely understand. Who would have thought so much would come from trying to kill a single dragon?"
"Maybe the next time you decide to get yourself killed, you will think upon this and reconsider."
Bran sighed, shaking his head and smiling despite himself.
Gerald grinned. "Attacked by wolves, eh? Let me guess, you left out the part where you were trying to find and kill the dragon?"
"Yes," Bran said with a grimace.
Topaz smirked. "He also left out the part where he decided that he was also going to let the dragon kill him."
"Why?" Keverick exclaimed.
Bran glared at Topaz. "Because as Topaz is fond of reminding me, I was a fool." He turned to regard them. "I did not lie when I said I was tired of my life of servitude. I begged my king to release me from his service, and was despondent when he refused."
"Why not simply leave and go elsewhere?"
"Because I am a knight, and it would be dishonorable to simply vanish. Death at least is a valid and honorable way out." He rubbed the back of his neck. "There is also the simple, sad fact that I had nowhere to run. My life belonged to my king. I have no friends, no family, and I have never seen the lands with which I was gifted years ago. Only hours before I begged for freedom, I had lost a squire of whom I was fond. I was not at my best when I made the decision to slay and be slain by a dragon."
"Fealty is only as good as the man asking for it. If the master is unworthy, take your leave. You seem to be doing well with your life as your own and not his."
Bran smiled. "Yes. I am grateful that events transpired as they did." He glared at Topaz. "Though I wish someone would relent in reminding me of my past stupidity."
"Why ever would I do that?" Topaz asked with an idle grin.
"As entertaining as this is, should we not be focusing on the problem at hand?" Keverick asked.
Topaz nodded. "True. As I said, we need to locate the ban
dits. Which should not prove difficult; I had quite the time avoiding them today. But I think now we are ready to be seen?"
"I agree." Keverick rose, eager and ready to move forward with their plans.
Gerald was less hasty. "Is it not rather late to begin such endeavors?"
"No." Topaz shook his head. "It is early in the evening yet. Besides, how many times do you think you can sneak out here before you are discovered? Best to act now, while the advantage is ours."
"True enough." Gerald rose and stretched, then hefted his crossbow. "Lay on."
Topaz nodded and took up the torch. Bran fell into step just behind him, allowing Topaz to lead the way to…wherever it was he was taking them.
He led them out of the clearing and back along the path they had come. Gerald held his crossbow at the ready, but Keverick and Bran kept their swords sheathed. Halfway back to the main road, Topaz suddenly veered from their path and led them deeper into the forest.
The lantern swung and bobbed as he moved, erratic light guiding them through the dark maze of trees. Above the canopy, spots of moonlight broke through to cast strange shadows. Save for their footsteps and the occasional muttered curse as one or another tripped on a root or clump of dirt, all was quiet. Topaz continued to lead them deeper into the forest.
Nearly an hour or so later, Bran caught traces of light. Murmurs from Gerald and Keverick indicated they saw the same thing. Topaz merely glared at them in the dark. As they came into a clearing, he saw there were several men gathered around two moderate fires. Rather, they had been gathered. Now they stood with swords drawn as the four of them entered the clearing.
One man separated himself from the crowd of bandits and approached them cautiously. "Who are you?"
"Trey of Mistdale," Topaz said softly, "do not say you have forgotten me entirely?"
There was a beat of silence before the man's jaw dropped in shock. "But it cannot be…Lord Topaz?"
"Yes."
"But you were slain!" Around Trey several other men gathered, explaining Topaz in awed whispers to the few who did not of him. Trey motioned them to silence with a cut of his arm. "Where have you been? We thought you dead."