Dragons of Summer Tide (The Dragons of Hwandor)

by Robert Barton

  “The dragon gives him that power also then.” Said Carabice. “Well I have to see where this leads.” The mage started toward the opening when Pelinar stepped in front of the old man.

  “This is not wise.” Pelinar said.

  “Pelinar is right.” Added Talyat. “He has been in the dwarven mines and there are some very unpleasant creatures which can live in tunnels and these tunnels have not been used in generations. If there are openings into the true depths then there could be some dangerous things walking these paths.”

  “Well, if we do not go in then how are we to know?” Asked the mage.

  “Xave,” said Devron” The little black dragon jumped from his shoulder and flew into the darkness of the tunnel. “He can search them quickly.”

  “But how can he tell us what he finds?” Carabice asked.

  “I see through his eyes.” Responded Devron. “This tunnel ends in a great cavern and there are lots of tunnels leading out of the cavern and some lead down very deep into the greater depths. And there are things down here; very dangerous things.”

  “The tunnels will have to be cleared.” Said Pelinar. “I learned how to do this from the dwarves. It will be a bit different with a night dragon and mages to help.”

  “Damn, damn, damn, damn it all.” The old mage said. “I have waited fifty years for this. So we will close the doorway and then formulate a plan and start this afternoon.”

  “We will close the tunnel and then talk about formulating a plan and start when everything is ready.” Said Pelinar.

  “I am in charge here!” Responded Carabice. “Do you realize that I am in charge here?” The mage asked Pelinar who seemed to be ignoring his protestations.

  Pelinar placed a hand on Devron’s shoulder and soon Xave came fluttering back out of the tunnel to land on the other shoulder of the boy. Then the boy touched the wall next to the doorway and it closed leaving no trace that it had ever been there. The little night dragon sat there on the shoulder of the boy licking at some scratches on his belly where something down in the darkness of the tunnels had lashed out at the dragon as he had flown by.

  Talyat noticed the scratches on the tiny dragon and said. “When we get out of the cellars I have a salve to put on his wounds. There are nasty things living underground and their scratches and bites can all too easily fester.

  *****

  As Tornissa led Cyerant, Veer and Shira through the room she pointed out several significant people. Nodding toward one young man who looked to be only a few summers older than Cyerant she said. “That is Garist Pwol Vrayah the son of Duke Malik who would like to have your lands.” She identified one man who looked to be about thirty summers old as the Captain of the Royal Guard. “See the beautiful woman with the pale skin, black hair and green eyes there.” The mage nodded toward a woman who looked to be a couple of summers older than Cyerant. “She is the foreign ambassador who is an imperial princess. I also see that regent Darus, General Velendar and even former Ranger Commander Parenian are all present. This should be an interesting day.”

  After the companions passed, Garist the son of the Duke Malik noticed Cyerant moving toward the front of the audience hall. Garist made his way to the Captain of the Guard and began to whisper to the man. After a brief conversation the Captain motioned a guard over and sent the man for reinforcements. The guard soon returned leading a dozen extra guards who began to quietly move forward through the crowd.

  The hall was the largest room that any of the companions had ever seen and it was very high with large windows of coloured glass set in the high walls far above the heads of nobles, guards and officials who lined the walls. The petitioners had formed a line through the centre of the room, leading toward a throne which sat vacant. There were a few desks for scribes located near the throne and many chairs lined the walls around the room. A herald walked in to stand before the throne facing the room and in a loud voice announced the king. “Lords, ladies and good folk His Royal Majesty Palavwar Bal Djundarbin King of Hwandor.” Those who were seated rose to their feet as a young man entered flanked by four guards.

  The new king had only just passed his eighteenth birthday but he had a strong noble bearing in his walk and he was tall and his red hair made him look like a flame moving through the room. As he seated himself on his throne the nobles and officials around the room returned to their chairs. As the young king sat there on the throne his blue eyes quickly took in the room and the people assembled. The king noticed that there were a dozen guards quietly making their way through the audience hall and that they seemed to be converging on a point in the crowd near the front of the line of petitioners. The guards on the dais were staying very close to the king. The king turned to look at the herald and nodded. The herald spoke. “The Royal Court of Hwandor is now in session and all petitioners may come before His Majesty.”

  Tornissa stepped forward to address the king. “Your Majesty, if it pleases you I would like to present a petitioner.” Motioning toward Cyerant she said. “I would like to present…”Then she was cut off as guards exploded through the onlookers.

  Suddenly Cyerant found himself being driven to the floor under the weight of several men. Veer seeing what was happening to Cyerant immediately attacked the men who were tackling his friend. With no weapons on him the young dragon warrior punched the nearest guard and the man collapsed into an unmoving heap and as he prepared to punch a second man more guards stepped out of the crowd and he found himself surrounded. Shira stepped to Veer’s side and she managed to take a guard’s legs from under him sending him crashing into another guard while Veer punched a second guard into unconsciousness. A moment later Veer and Shira both were overwhelmed and borne to the ground under the weight of more guards.

  “Hold!” Tornissa shouted.

  “The old witch is part of the plot, take her.” Shouted the Captain of the Guard. Four guards broke out of the crowd and moved toward the mage. Tornissa waved her hand toward the oncoming guards and all four of them dropped to the ground in a deep sleep as though they had been felled by a blow.

  The mage turned toward the king and began to yell. “Your Majesty, these young people are no threat…” She was cut off by another voice.

  Garist the son of Duke Malik stepped forward with the Captain of the Guard at his side. “Your Majesty one of these men is an impostor who claims to be the oldest son of Baron Dal Reez who died with his whole family in a fire. My father’s men have been trying to catch this young man and bring him to justice.”

  The hall shuddered as a cry of rage came from outside of the building – a cry that sounded as if it called from another age. Then the large central window high up in the wall of the great hall burst inward showering shards of glass into the air as a legend itself burst through. A dragon the size of a horse was suddenly in the air over the crowd shrieking in rage. A second dragon the size of a pony came bursting through another window. A third dragon the size of a dog perched herself in the large broken window and screamed downward at the crowd of people who had begun to flee the terror above their heads. The room became chaos as many people charged for the doors to escape the dragons while others covered their heads and faces against the shower of glass. A forth tiny dragon with green eyes flew in, unnoticed, through a broken window and lent her voice to the cacophony of angry shrieks and roars.

  Drace seeing Veer held under the guards began to dive toward the men and he was followed immediately by Cyool as she launched herself from the window. As the people fled the room a space opened up on the floor and Corth dropped to land in the cleared centre of the room. As the guards holding Cyerant, Veer and Shira realized that two dragons were diving toward them they scrambled for their feet to try and escape. Drace slammed into one guard and drove the man lifeless to the floor beneath him. Cyool barrelled into another guard and sent him sprawling, injured but alive, across the floor. Drace then lashed out with his tail and struck one fleeing guard and tore the man from his feet and tossed him lifeless onto the floor s
ome distance away. The battle dragon then began to pace and circle to protect Veer who was still trying to get to his feet.

  Cyerant leaped to his feet and turned his immediate attention toward calming the enraged dragons. Veer, with his own growl of rage struggled to his feet and started toward the nearest guard. Shira seeing what Veer was about to do stepped in front of him and began to shout at him. “No Veer, wait.”

  People were still struggling to get out of the great hall but the glass had stopped falling and though some people were cut it seemed that none of them were in danger of bleeding to death. Some people had been knocked to the floor in the initial press to escape. A few dozen people were scattered around the room on the floor while most of the crowd was pressing toward the doors. More guards were struggling against the crowd to attempt to get into the room but it was no use as the push of the fleeing people was too great.

  Cyerant struggled with the anger of his dragon through the bond and managed to get Corth calm enough that the dragon was standing in the centre of the room poised on his back legs showing himself at his greatest height with his wings spread threateningly but he did not attack. Shira stood in front of Veer with her hands on his chest and likewise Cyool had stepped in front of Drace and was preventing him from charging into the crowd of people trying to flee. The room went almost silent as the three larger dragons stopped shrieking and roaring. The only sound in the room was the sobbing of a few people and the scolding of Green Eyes who fluttered around near the top of the hall punctuated by occasional growls from Drace. A soothing crooning sound was almost too soft to be heard and it was coming from Cyool as she tried to calm the larger Drace from his battle frenzy.

  The now standing king was looking from his dais at the scene that had just unfolded in front of him. He acted like a king and did not show the fear that he felt. He could feel that his own personal guards were hanging back in terror. “Hold,” shouted the tall red haired young king into the nearly silent room, his voice booming off of the walls. Even Green Eyes fell silent and floated down to land on the floor near an injured woman. Such was the commanding presence of the king that all eyes in the room turned to look toward the dais. His Magesty, still keeping his own fear from showing seized the moment of shock in order to speak. “Magister, I believe that you were speaking.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty, I was, thank you.” The woman composed herself and continued. She motioned toward Cyerant. “May I present Cyerant Dal Reez who is the oldest son of the recently deceased Baron Dal Reez and so is now himself Baron Dal Reez. Reports that the entire Dal Reez family died in a fire are mistaken and, in fact, two of the sons survive. His companions here are from the Hillfolk and I believe they bear a message for former Ranger Commander Parenian.” Tornissa motioned toward the guards resting on the ground in a magical sleep. “I also wanted to inform His Majesty that magic once again answers the call of the mages. And that these young people have brought dragons with them.”

  Most men would have been astounded into a near stupor but the young king maintained his composure as if he had just been told the results of a horse race and not that beasts from legend had returned to the world and were standing in his court and that mages could do legendary feats once again. “Thank you, Magister,” the king said. “The king looked around the room and he saw that one of the people who had not fled was the former Ranger Commander. “Commander Parenian I am reinstating you and your rangers and we will hear this message together.” Turning to the herald the king said. “Announce that the public petition day will be postponed for a sevenday and will resume on the eighth day hence.” Turning to the Captain of the Guard the king said. “Captain Talonius, see to your guardsmen especially the four who are cowering behind me.” The king then noticed a beautiful woman walking forward with a small dragon on her shoulder. “Ambassador Princess Arindina, does Your Highness also have a dragon?”

  The woman answered. “Yes, Your Majesty, I was knocked to the floor and some of the falling glass cut my arm. Then this wonderful creature came to me and began to lick the wound and it is already healing.” The woman looked a bit stunned but soon appeared to compose herself.

  Shira looked at the woman and the little dragon and could see that they both had the same shade of green eyes. Shira felt a chill sweep over her as she considered what this meant. She thought about how poison dragons only bond with people who have similar dispositions.

  “The green eyed woman then said. “I will retire to my apartments and take this creature with me.” She turned to leave the room and she was obviously very preoccupied with her new dragon and the bond that she was feeling form with the creature but being a princess of an imperial family she was maintaining her composure as her rank demands..

  The king tuned to Cyerant and asked. “Baron Dal Reez are these dragons sufficiently pacified so that we make retire to my private chambers to speak?”

  Cyerant made a slight bow toward the young king. “Yes Your Majesty we will be honoured to speak with you and the dragons are quite calm now.” Cyerant turned toward Corth and after a moment the dragon reluctantly leaped into the air and flew back out through the window. A moment later Cyool did the same. Drace paced about for a few moments before also taking flight through the window.

  “You Majesty there is the matter of the reports that this man is an impostor and is not actually the son of Dal Reez.” Came the voice of Garist Pwol Vrayah the son of Duke Malik Pol Vrayah.

  The king turned toward the speaker and said. “Yes there is that matter and perhaps he is actually the son of the Baron and I have been misinformed or perhaps he is, as you report, an impostor. I will look into it and I would like to see whatever evidence you have concerning the matter.”

  And older man who looked to be about sixty summers old stepped forward and spoke. “Your Majesty, if I may.”

  The king turned to the man and said. “Yes General Velendar.”

  The old man continued. “Two summers past I visited the North Country and I spent some time at the Dal Reez manor house and I met the sons of the Baron Dal Reez. This young man is definitely the oldest son. I remember him because my dear old friend Gofreys was especially proud of the progress the young man had made in the use of the sword.”

  The king looked at Cyerant and spoke. “Well, if the General remembers you as the oldest son of the dead Baron Dal Reez and the Magister speaks for you then that is sufficient. “I declare you Cyerant to be the new Baron Dal Reez and assign all of your family lands and accounts to you. You are to be recognized in the royal court and you may bear weapons in court as befits your rank.”

  Cyerant bowed in thanks to the king.

  The king turned toward Garist the son of Duke Malik. “Obviously the reports that your father received concerning the Dal Reez family were in error and there is an heir after all. And so the petition to have these lands placed under your father’s authority is denied.”

  The young man, Garist silently bowed to the king.

  King Palavwar then turned to Tornissa. “Magister, I would like to hear the entire tale that these three have to tell. The palace is such a busy place may Commander Parenian and I call at the tower in one hour so that we may speak?”

  The woman answered. “The tower would be honoured to host Your Majesty and since these young people are all guests of the tower we will await your pleasure.”

  The king addressed the Captain of the Guard. “Captain, I will be ready to leave soon.” The king turned and strode from the room leaving the captain to nod his acknowledgement to the back of the king.

  Tornissa turned to her three companions and said. “We should return to the tower and await the king.” She then led the way out of the room.

  Soon only Garist the son of Duke Malik, Captain of the Guard Talonius and former Regent Darus were left in the audience room with a few guards who were taking care of the bodies of their comrads who had perished when the dragons attacked. Garist asked. “Why is he meeting in the tower?”

  Former regent D
arus said. “Simple enough, there are spies aplenty in the palace but the tower has been ignored for generations so we have to ears and eyes there. I trust, Captain that you have some guards who will report back to you.”

  “All of my guards are loyal to me first. I will send guards with him and each one will report what he hears and sees.”

  The three men then parted company without noticing that the Imperial Ambassador Princess Arindina had not actually retired earlier but had only stepped just outside of the room and with her new found hearing, she had been listening to their conversation. As the men parted the Imperial Princess Arindina Ambassador to Hwandor began to walk away headed for her apartments near the palace.

  Twenty-one

  Tornissa quickly led her young companions back to the tower in silence. Everyone in the tower immediately began preparing to receive the king. As Shira helped Tornissa arrange the drawing room chairs she turned to Tornissa and said. “So the king is coming here to avoid spies then?”

  “Yes,” the mage answered. “The palace is full of spies, and much of the staff is loyal to the former regent Darus who would like to see himself once gain ruling as regent.

  So if something happens to the king then his younger sister becomes queen but she is only fifteen and so Darus will have to, once again, act as regent.” Shira said.

  “Exactly so child, you are a natural at understanding palace intrigues.” Tornissa said.

  “But wasn’t there a co-regency so Darus had to rule with someone else?” Asked Shira.

  “Technically there was a co-regency with Darus and the Queen Mother serving together. But for all practical purposes that meant that the Queen mother managed the upbringing of her three children and Darus had authority to rule while the young king grew. So the co-regency divided things so that Darus ruled the kingdom while my niece Arabella as the wife of the dead king ruled her children.” Tornissa explained.