The dragons couldn't have been more startled at his sudden appearance. Those on the ground scattered like a flock of birds flushed by a hound. Their broad wings snapped as they struggled to climb into the sky, lifting great clouds of dust and leaves. As dire as the situation was, the sight amused Thelvyn. Encouraged, the Ethengar pushed on through the break created by the fleeing dragons. Shouting their thanks to the Dragonlord as they passed, the riders charged over the bridge in tight ranks. The Ethengar rode straight for the gates of Braejr, needing no encouragement to get themselves under cover.
Thelvyn knew it was up to him to cover their retreat, permitting them to ride on ahead for some distance while he waited behind at the bridge, facing the dragons if they dared to attack. Most of the dragons were circling, scores of them watching him balefully, although they kept their distance. He wondered if they would try to attack the moment he turned to ride back to the gate. Perhaps they didn't dare challenge him, even in such great numbers, or perhaps they were under orders from their leaders to leave him alone for now. He looked around as well as he could, his vision limited by his helmet, but he failed to see Marthaen or Jherdar among them.
When the last of the Ethengar were more than halfway to the gate, Thelvyn turned his horse to follow. He thought it best to get away while he could, before the dragons had a chance to organize an attack. He kept the horse at a slow trot, mindful that the beast was shivering and panting with the weight of the load he carried and his fear of both the dragons and his rider. The run back to the gate would be a long one for them both.
He was still several hundred yards from the gate and beginning to think his retreat would go unchallenged when the attack came. Something flashed past the edge of his vision to crash into the road only a couple of yards to his left, exploding in a shower of dust and stone. The horse shied, stopping suddenly and rearing in terror, although Thelvyn was able to stay in the saddle. After a moment, he urged the horse forward again. He was curious about the nature of the attack; it obviously hadn't been a blast of dragonfire. He glanced behind him, but the dragons were still holding back, far enough away to offer some protection from his weapons. At the same time, he was well out of the range of their flames.
Then a second explosion of rock and dirt erupted from the ditch beside the road, and a third, and this time Thelvyn was certain of what he had seen. The dragons were snatching up large boulders from the riverbed and dropping them from great height. There wasn't much he could do about it except to urge the horse into a full gallop. Almost at once he found himself caught up in a deadly hail of boulders, dozens crashing relentlessly in a tight cluster all around him as the horse galloped in panic-stricken fear, needing no urging from him.
Despite the attack with the boulders, Thelvyn wasn't overly concerned for his own safety, trusting the enchantments of his armor to protect him. Besides, there was a limit to how large a stone even a dragon could throw. But he had underestimated the weight of the stones. A sudden sharp blow caught him squarely in the upper back as he rode low in the saddle, driving him to the ground with such crushing force that his vision went dark for a desperate moment.
Fearful that the dragons would take advantage of him while he was down, Thelvyn crawled a short distance to retrieve the sword that had been knocked from his grasp before struggling to his feet. The horse was dead, crushed as the weight of both Thelvyn and the boulder had been driven into its back. He turned quickly to see that he was still at least a hundred yards from the gate. The dragons were still holding back, seeing that he had only been momentarily stunned by the blow, although they continued their barrage of heavy stones.
Thelvyn lifted his sword with both hands and released a series of short blasts of power from the enchanted weapon. While there was little chance of actually hitting a flying dragon from such a long distance, at least he forced them to scatter and retreat. Then he turned and ran as fast as he could toward the gate, taking advantage of their momentary confusion. While the armor of the Dragonlord was not especially heavy, it was restrictive. A hundred yards was a long way to run, especially when he expected the dragons to resume their attack at any moment.
But they seemed content to allow the matter to end right there. Thelvyn teleported the armor away the moment he slipped through the gate, standing aside so that the soldiers could close and bar the massive portal. Solveig and Sir George were waiting for him, although all he could do for the moment was pant with the effort of running in his armor.
"I feel sorry for that poor horse," he said at last. "He nearly made it."
"He died well," Sir George said, "if such a thing has meaning to a horse. What about you?"
"I'm as well as can be expected after having a boulder the size of a fat sow fall on me," Thelvyn said as he rose stiffly. "Where's Darius? I don't want him taking his griffon riders out there for me to have to rescue as well."
"He won't go past the wall without checking to see if he's needed," Sir George said as they walked toward the inner gate. "The more immediate problem is what to do with all those Ethengar warriors. We can't expect to feed that many extra horses for very long. I'm not certain, but I would guess something like six thousand of them came through that gate."
"They must have gone through the pass below the
Colossus Mounts and come up through the forests," Solveig said. "I don't know how else they could have caught an army of dragons by surprise."
They paused a moment at the inner gate, which stood partly open. The paved square and the streets beyond seemed filled to overflowing with Ethengar warriors and their horses—especially horses, since the warriors always traveled with a change of mounts and switched horses during the day. The barracks inside the north gate could handle some of them, but Thelvyn suspected that most would have to camp in the city park, which would probably suit the nomadic Ethengar just fine.
"Now that they're here, I'm not sure why I thought I wanted them in the first place," Thelvyn remarked.
"They'll be of use," Sir George insisted. "The Ethengar are nearly as deadly with their bows as the elves are. We can use them along the wall. And just having their numbers should be worth something if it comes to bargaining a truce with the dragons."
*****
The next morning, Thelvyn and his companions were still at breakfast when the news that they had been dreading came at last. Captain Gairstaan, who had taken command of the city defenses after his return from the north, sent warning that the dragons were preparing for something. They had gathered in orderly ranks in the open fields several hundred yards out from the city walls, a move that made it appear they were preparing for battle.
Followed by the others, Thelvyn hurried up the stairs to the roof of the palace and onto the wall, where horses were regularly kept saddled, awaiting urgent errands. The passage behind the parapets was now crowded with mounted crossbows and shields, but a narrow passage large enough for a horse to pass through was kept clear. Following the path, they reached the north gate in short order
Ranks of dragons had been drawn up in the fields on either side of the main road beyond the north gate, although Thelvyn sensed that this was almost certainly not a preparation for attack. For one thing, he didn't believe dragons would ever organize themselves in companies like soldiers on the ground when their attack would surely come from the sky.
"I suspect they're just trying to get our attention," he said as Captain Gairstaan hurried over to take his horse. "Do they want to talk?"
"That seems to be the case. I would have been surprised if they had rushed straight into battle without wanting to discuss things first."
They followed the walkway out from the main wall, passing through the towers of the gateyard to the parapet above the outer gate. Her wounds almost completely recovered now, Solveig leaped up into an opening in the parapet to see better. Sir George and Sellianda remained back behind the stones where they could not so easily be seen. Considering the sharp vision of dragons, they might even have been able to tell that Sir
George was a drake from that distance, and it would have been an extremely awkward time for a dragon to announce that Thelvyn's oldest friend and advisor was in reality a mandrake.
Thelvyn and Solveig had only just shown themselves at the wall when a gold dragon leaped into the air from the hills far beyond, gliding sedately over the main road to pass above the ranks of the waiting dragons. Thelvyn was certain it was Marthaen. He looked a good deal like his sister Kharendaen, except that he was larger, his crest and horns longer and his face less narrow. The dragon landed some distance from the wall and then approached in a slow, rather stately pace. When he had come close, he sat back on his haunches, his long neck held high enough that he could look down slightly upon his opponents, even though i hey were high on the parapet above the gate.
Before the dragon could speak, Thelvyn stepped into the opening in the parapet to face him. "Hear me, Marthaen. The time has come for us to put an end to all these gestures and talk. It is plain that neither of us wants to go to war, knowing what the consequences would be for both sides."
"What you say is true," the dragon agreed. "And yet what am I to say? The dragons have done no wrong in this matter, and we have just complaints that must be addressed. We have been falsely accused of breaking the truce, and the former king of this land sought to expel our people from the mountains that were given to us by the terms of the truce."
"The truth of that matter has been determined," Thelvyn insisted. "The Fire Wizard Byen Kalestraan had joined with renegade dragons in an attempt to assassinate me. The dragons were blameless in that, and King Jherridan was hasty and extreme in his response. Surely that is something we can discuss."
"It is a beginning," Marthaen conceded. "But no more than a beginning. We have other complaints that must be addressed before there can be peace. First, I must tell you that your recent ambitions have been a cause of great concern to the dragons. We demand that you relinquish the title of King of the Flaemish Realm, and we further demand that from this time forth you must never again enter the service of any country or person, take any other titles or positions of power or authority, nor swear any loyalty beyond what is directly a part of your duties as Dragonlord."
Thelvyn looked surprised, suddenly realizing how his recent actions might seem to others. "There has been some misunderstanding here, and I'm afraid it has been my own fault. I have no wish to be king. I agreed to take the title only during the duration of this time of crisis. Then a new king will be found."
Marthaen laid back his ears and glanced toward the sky, making a silent appeal to the Great One. Then he puffed through his cheeks and brought his head forward to glare at the Dragonlord, speaking very softly. "Of all the incompetent, idiotic bumbling! If I had only been informed what you were doing, I could have kept this confrontation much simpler. As it is, I have no choice but to finish what has been begun."
"Was I supposed to write you letters about my plans?" Thelvyn asked in turn. "What more do you want?"
"We ask that there be no new settlements in the northern Highlands," the dragon continued. "The mountains and the wooded lands of Wendar are home to many dragons, and certain places there are sacred to us. As long as the people of the Highlands continue to move into that area, they will continue to interfere in our affairs."
"Is this point negotiable?" Thelvyn asked, thinking of how the dukes of Aalban and Ardelan were likely to react to that.
"Perhaps there can be some accommodation," Marthaen agreed vaguely. "But the last issue is beyond negotiation. If you desire to make amends for the insult given us and establish a new truce, you must return the Collar of the Dragons."
Thelvyn sighed, realizing that he could never satisfy the dragons if they were determined on this point. "We've been looking for the collar since the night Byen Kalestraan proved himself to be a traitor. We fear that the only ones who knew of its location are no longer alive. If you would be willing to declare a truce, then perhaps we could work together to find it."
"Then you deny that you stole it?"
"You know perfectly well that I personally didn't steal anything," Thelvyn declared, becoming impatient now. "Kharendaen would have told you if I had. I've never asked her to betray any of your secrets, and we both know that she wouldn't have in any event. She was the best of friends and companions, but she serves the Great One and not me."
Marthaen considered that briefly. "I can only refer your proposal to the other leaders among the dragons, but I see little hope. Of the three things that we have asked for, you are able to give us only the first. I make this offer: If you will surrender to me the armor and weapons of the Dragonlord, and if you promise to seek the Collar of the Dragons, then we will be satisfied and withdraw."
Thelvyn could only shake his head. "I can't give you the armor, since it's not mine to give. I would need the consent of the Immortals, and they're not in the habit of speaking to me."
"Then for now I suggest that you return to your companions and advisors and discuss what you can do to satisfy our demands," Marthaen said as he turned to depart. He glanced back over his shoulder. "I will grant you three days to meet our demands."
Thelvyn knew now that he was still a long way from finding a peaceful settlement, since a truce seemed to be dependent upon his granting the dragons things that were not his to give. As Marthaen had suggested, he called for his companions to join him at once in his private chamber to discuss Marthaen's demands and discover which of his terms they might be able to meet. The dragons had already returned to their camps in the distant hills and in the forests on either side of the rivers opposite the city, apparently content to wait out the three days that had been promised.
"I suppose I have to take it for granted we won't be able to find the Collar of the Dragons in the time we have," he began. "Can we put the matter of finding the collar back on the dragons themselves, considering that dragons were surely involved in its theft?"
Sir George looked dubious. "I have my doubts about that. Marthaen seems determined to demand something of you that you can't give him, as if he's trying to make war inevitable. Even so, I'm certain the last thing he wants is a fight, so he must be up to something. If we can, our best response now is to find some way to give him exactly what he wants."
"But can we?" Solveig asked.
"Well, let's see," the old knight remarked, wondering about the possibility of opening a new bottle of cherry liqueur. "Thelvyn is willing to relinquish the title of king, but he always meant to do that anyway. I'm sure we can reach some accommodation about the northern settlements. Now if we can just give them back the collar, or at least tell them where to find it, we should have nothing to worry about. The dragons have named their terms, and they will keep their word."
"Unfortunately, finding the blasted thing seems to be my job," Alessa commented, looking uncomfortable. She could only shake her head. "I just don't know what to say.
We've searched for a clue everywhere we can think of. We just don't know what Kalestraan did with the collar once he took possession of it, nor do we know which renegades helped him steal it."
"Unless we happen to get exceptionally lucky in the next three days, that brings us to our final alternative," Thelvyn said. "I am prepared to surrender the armor of the Dragonlord on the condition that I go with it."
Sellianda glanced up suddenly. "What an interesting thought. Putting the Dragonlord and the leaders of the dragons together in the same place would be the ultimate stalemate."
Alessa looked surprised, almost offended. "Surely you are jesting."
"I'm sure he's not," the elf insisted. "The Dragonlord's duty is tied to the dragons. Where else should he be?"
Sir George also looked rather surprised by the suggestion. "Do you honestly mean to say that you expect the dragons to allow him to keep the armor?"
Sellianda turned to face him. "I am certain that Kharendaen and the clerics of the Great One would be willing to bring their considerable influence to bear on this matter. Knowing what you
do about this situation and about dragons, do you expect any contention to remain unresolved for long?"
"No, I suppose not," Sir George agreed. "All Thelvyn will have to do is knock a few heads together, and then everyone will get along like old friends."
Alessa looked impatient. "I'm beginning to think we would be better off trying to fight."
Thelvyn found himself wishing that Alessa hadn't said that. It reminded him that she was of the Flaem; like Jherridan and Kalestraan and so many others, she was only too eager to commit to battle. She was the only one who could possibly find the Collar of the Dragons in time to avert this war, and Thelvyn needed to be able to trust that she was doing her best. His almost instinctive distrust of Fire Wizards had returned to temper his judgement. It was a lesson he had been taught only too well all his life.
He had a quiet dinner that evening with his closest friends. Afterward he went alone to the top of the wall above the palace. Night was nearly upon the city, with only a pale glow in the west where the sun had set long before. The campfires of the dragons glittered through the trees of the stands of woods beyond the fields, miles away and yet seemingly close to Thelvyn's sharp eyes. The day had brought no new answers; that left him only two more days to find some way to appease the dragons, and the only solution he had come up with was to offer himself.
Thelvyn turned, suddenly aware that someone was approaching quietly from behind him in the enclosing darkness. He had been on guard against unexpected attacks for some time now, knowing the dragons were willing to try anything to get rid of him. Of course, he knew he was hardly alone on the wall. Elvish guards, with their ability to see in the dark, kept watch on the walls all night, and a crew was stationed at every fourth catapult at all times to respond to any sudden attack. Still, Thelvyn was surprised to see that Alessa Vyledaar had followed him.
D& D - Mystara 02 Dragonking of Mystara Page 34