Had it been under other circumstances, Cabe would have taken time to admire his son’s work. Unfortunately, his eyes could not help but be drawn to Aurim’s audience. An audience of two, who were much too close together for his tastes.
He now saw what had bothered Grath. Kyl was with Aurim, true, but his attention was on the red-haired young woman sitting beside him on one of the maze’s stone benches. Valea, a near copy of her mother, watched her brother practice. She wore a forest green gown that accented both her face and form. That was not a good sign; Valea generally preferred hunting clothes, more practical for a young woman often on the move, and only wore dresses when forced to do so . . . or when she thought she would be spending time near the drake.
If Grath and Aurim were considered handsome, Kyl was almost beautiful. He moved with a grace his brother lacked and wore richly styled clothing. In every respect he looked like an exotic, elfin lord. His shading was slightly different from Grath’s, with a bit more gold in it. As the day approached for his crowning, Kyl seemed more and more to assume the royal colors of the dragon emperor. Next to him, even Aurim’s blinding locks paled.
A shared joke here. A brief touch there. Everything he did was for Valea, and Cabe could see that she noticed all of it.
He was trying to control his fatherly temper when Grath suddenly called out, “Kyl! Lord Green has come to see you!”
The announcement shattered Aurim’s concentration. A tiny maelstrom arose as the different segments of his spell collided with one another or went fluttering off. At the same time, Valea and Kyl straightened, both trying to pretend nothing had occurred.
As the last of Aurim’s spell dissipated, Kyl rose. He was now an inch or two taller than Cabe but so lean that the difference seemed greater. There was a touch of arrogance in his smile. His eyes were burning orbs that snared a person if one was not careful. The elegant courtier outfit the heir wore was real, not a magical shaping like the scale armor of the Dragon Kings. His teeth were slightly edged. In dim light, it was possible some would not have recognized him for what he was. That illusion, however, failed each time Kyl spoke.
“Your majessssty! How good of you to come! Forgive me for not greeting you sssssooner!”
Whereas both Grath and Ursa, the female of the trio of royal hatchlings, fell prey to sibilance only when excited, Kyl constantly suffered from it. It was a point of great annoyance to the emperor-to-be, who prided himself on perfection.
The Dragon King bowed. “It isss I who must apologize to you, my lord. Had this visit not been sssudden, I would have brought more than my own presence. I hope that you will forgive me.”
“You have been my mossst ardent sssupporter, Lord Green! That will ever be gift enough in itsssself!”
“I hope, then, that I am not disturbing you?”
Kyl casually waved off the drake lord’s question. “By no meansss! We were sssimply enjoying the day, were we not?”
It was questionable as to which of his companions the young drake was speaking to, but Valea was the one who quickly answered. “That’s what we were doing, yes.”
Cabe wondered if it was his own imagination that made him think that Kyl’s mouth curled slightly higher when Valea responded.
“I . . . I solved the latest one, Father,” Aurim added. “I told Kyl and Valea-”
“And I insssisssted that we be allowed to sssee.” Kyl’s tone was all innocence.
“A most impressive display it wasss, too,” remarked the Green Dragon. “Now, though, if Your Majesty hasss time, there are details concerning your future which we mussst discuss.”
“You mean the excursion to Talak?” Kyl’s mood changed, becoming tinged with distaste.
“That and more, my emperor.”
“If you think the mattersss worthy of our time, then I will trussst you, my Lord Green.” Turning from Cabe and the Dragon King, Kyl nodded politely to Aurim. “You will have to show me that trick again when we have more time, Aurim.” Focusing his attention on Valea, Kyl reached out and dared to take her hand. As Cabe tensed and his daughter’s cheeks reddened, the dragon heir leaned forward and gently kissed the hand. “My lady . . .”
Kyl released her hand after what Cabe considered much too long a hesitation. Turning back to the newcomers, the young drake eyed his human guardian and asked, “Will you be joining usss, Massster Bedlam? Your advice isss alwaysss welcome.”
Refusing to be the first to break, Cabe Bedlam continued to match gazes with Kyl. “I would be happy to give what advice I can, Kyl.”
“Then shall we talk here or adjourn to the Manor?”
It was Aurim who decided for them. “There’s no need for you to leave! Valea and I can return to the Manor. This place is as private as anywhere else, probably more.” He looked at his sister. “Mistress Belima said she’d be baking today. Perhaps it might be in order to visit her now?”
Fully recovered now from Kyl’s daring kiss, Valea eagerly took up Aurim’s suggestion. She turned a dazzling smile on the Dragon King. “If you will forgive us, my lord?”
“By all meansss. I have tasted the human female’s meat pies. Had I known her talentsss before I offered your parents her services, she would be baking for me.”
Laughing lightly, Cabe’s daughter curtsied. Aurim followed suit with a nervous bow. Having grown up around royalty, the Bedlams’ offspring were used to excusing themselves when the time came for important discussions. It was not as if Cabe and his wife did not believe in the abilities of the two; Valea and Aurim were usually informed as to the results of such discussions. However, where the coming coronation was concerned, it was easier for all if only those truly necessary were involved. There were times when even the master warlock and his bride did not join in, leaving the conversation strictly between the Green Dragon, Kyl, and Grath, who Kyl always insisted be present.
The two younger Bedlams departed, Valea in more haste than was necessary. The moment they were out of sight, Kyl returned to the bench and seated himself. He looked up at the drake lord in expectation.
After a slight hesitation, the Dragon King said, “There isss a new matter we must discuss.”
“You may proceed.”
Cabe was amazed at the calm with which his companion accepted the royal tones of the heir. Nodding, the drake launched into the tale he had told the warlock, describing in detail the gathering of the other reptilian monarchs and their request. Oddly, despite the almost arrogant demand of the drake lords, the manner in which the Green Dragon presented it almost made it sound like lowly subjects requesting a most grand gesture on the part of their sovereign. The warlock surreptitiously glanced at the armored figure beside him. Never had he seen the Dragon King adopt so . . . so servile . . . a tone.
The emperor-to-be accepted it without question, although Grath, who had taken up a position behind and a little to one side of his brother, barely hid a frown. Kyl listened in silence to everything, then spent a moment or two thinking the matter over. At last, he glanced up at Grath. Something unspoken passed between them.
Nodding to himself, the dragon heir looked up at the mage and forest lord and said, “A meeting with the othersss isss not only acceptable but necesssary, asss you yourssself pointed out, my lord.” Once again, his unsettling eyes focused on Cabe. “However, Massster Bedlam makesss a wonderful sssuggestion! I like the idea of meeting with only one, the Lord Blue, asss you proposssed. It will show them that I am willing to hear them, yet will not bow to their demandssss!”
“I am certain that they did not mean it ssso, my liege. You mussst understand that they are only concerned for you.”
Kyl’s gaze leapt to the Dragon King. “I understand their concernssss very well.” He nodded to himself again.
The Green Dragon did not pursue the matter. Kyl’s nod was a signal both Cabe and the drake lord had come to recognize. It would be futile to continue, for the young emperor-to-be would pay no more attention from here on. He had come to his own conclusions, whatever they might be, a
nd that, in his mind, was all that mattered.
“Have you chosssen a time for thisss audience with Lord Blue?”
“After the visits to Talak and Penacles,” Cabe informed his royal charge. “Too many preparations have already been made; it would not look good if we were to cancel either one this late.”
A dangerous gleam appeared in Kyl’s eyes, but the drake merely nodded. “You are correct, Massster Bedlam . . . asss usual. Speaking of Talak, what thought hasss been given to our entrance?”
This had been a touchy matter where both Melicard and Kyl had been concerned. The king of Talak had expected Kyl to arrive at the southern gate of the city, accompanied by an entourage, in the fashion of most human monarchs. However, the dragon heir, fully aware that he had sorcery at his command, wanted to materialize in regal but dramatic manner in the very center of Melicard’s throne room. That had not gone over well with the lord of the mountain kingdom. Talak had lived under the shadow of the Dragon Emperor for centuries, and now that it was free and a power in its own right, the present monarch had no intention of appearing subservient to any drake, especially one planning to ascend to the role of emperor. Part of the task the Lady Bedlam performed even now was to find some middle ground. Cabe did not envy his wife.
“That is still being discussed,” the warlock commented in very neutral tones.
“If I may make a suggestion?” The lord of Dagora waited for acknowledgment from Kyl before continuing. “It might be good to be magnanimousss for your first two visits. I shall prepare a caravan consisting of both humans and drakesss to accompany you, a large enough caravan to indicate your great status but small enough to keep the folk of Talak from running in fear.” The Green Dragon paused long enough to share a smile with Kyl. “This way, you will enter as he desires, but you will enter in glory! Thisss is not a sssimple matter; I wish I had a better suggestion, my lord, but I do not. Remember this, though. Talak will be opening itsss gates to you no matter how you arrive. It will be the first time they have done ssso willingly, and that in itself is a coup for you!”
Perhaps it was the way the Dragon King said it, as opposed to his actual words, for Cabe was both pleased and surprised to see Kyl accept the suggestion.
“Very well. Assss long assss it isss underssstood who it is who will be emperor.”
Lord Green bowed. “You may rest assured on that matter.”
Kyl shook his head and smiled, revealing his sharp teeth. “What would I do without the two of you? My Lord Green. Massster Bedlam. You two have been the father I lossst!”
Cabe forced back a grimace, recalling his part in the downfall of the former emperor.
Evidently he did not completely succeed, for Kyl glanced at him. “You did what you had to do and I have come to underssstand that, Massster Bedlam! The battle wasss forced upon you, after all! I bear you no animosssity. I am not my father; I am Kyl.”
Not trusting himself to find the correct words, Cabe nodded what he hoped would appear a thankful acknowledgment. He had heard such remarks from Kyl over the years and yet still could not bring himself to believe them. There was always that hint of something in the dragon heir’s tone . . .
. . . or maybe it was just his own distrust.
Grath, who had remained a silent shadow for most of the time, leaned over and whispered something to his brother. Kyl’s piercing eyes widened, then narrowed. His lips curled slightly, never a good sign as far as Cabe was concerned. That smile usually preceded some sort of mischief.
“Thank you, Grath, for reminding me.” The emperor-to-be returned his attention to his two visitors. “A notion occurred to me but a short time ago, a notion I meant to dissscussss with you when next the sssubject of thessse royal visssitsss arossse.”
“What might that be, Your Majesty?” the Green Dragon asked, a slight edge to his voice. No one but the warlock seemed to notice it, though.
“We would like the eternal, the demon ssssteed, to join usss for thisss journey.”
“Y-” The Dragon King could go no farther. Both Cabe and he stared at the dragon heir as if all sense had left him.
Kyl leaned back. “Explain, Grath.”
Nervous, the other young drake said, “My brother . . . my brother feels that the presence of Darkhorsssse is esssential. It deals with many situations. First and foremost is that both Queen Erini of Talak and Toos the regent of Penaclesss are familiar with the shadow steed. Not only familiar, but on good terms with him. His appearance at the meetings with Melicard and Toos should assuage any misgivings they might have over the arrival of so many drakes. No one caresss to cross the eternal’s path.”
“Really, Your Majesssty-”
“We are not finished yet, my Lord Green,” Kyl said quietly.
Grath hissed in anxiety as he resumed. “There is also one personal but highly important reassson for the presence of Darkhorse. My brother feelsss that, in this time of forging a new peace in the Dragonrealm, peace must also be made with the eternal himself.”
“It isss time for all animosssitiesss to die,” Kyl interjected. “Even I mussst admit to sssome failure when it comes to the great ebony ssstallion! Now, I would offer a peace between usss! Now, I would like to be able to call Darkhorssse friend!”
“Your Majesssty is aware, I hope, that King Melicard bears little love for the shadow steed. It isss his bride, the queen, who isss so fond of Darkhorse.”
“All the better, then, Lord Green.” Kyl’s long, tapering fingers formed a steeple. “It will give the human an opportunity to make hisss own peace with the black one! Talak would certainly benefit and Melicard would earn the persssonal gratitude of hisss lovely queen, who I know hasss alwaysss regretted the tension between her husband and her loyal friend!”
The Dragon King looked at Cabe, sending the warlock a silent appeal for help in this matter. Cabe was at a loss, though. He could see some reason behind the suggestion. Darkhorse had ever been a most deadly enemy of the drake race. At present, an uneasy truce existed, in great part due to Darkhorse’s respect for the warlock’s own position as guardian of the late Dragon Emperor’s young. Only when attacked did Darkhorse now unleash his might upon the drakes.
Kyl had never before suggested such an overture, making Cabe suspect that perhaps Grath was responsible. Of course, the younger drake had always gotten along much better with Darkhorse than the emperor-to-be had.
“Darkhorse might not desire to come,” he finally pointed out. Beside him, Green exhaled slightly. Evidently the Dragon King had decided that things were complex enough without throwing the shadow steed into the situation. Darkhorse was a matter that could wait as far as he was concerned.
Kyl did not think so. “If anyone can persssuade him, it isss you, Massster Bedlam! Give him my reasssons for requesssting thisss. Tell him that I know that we have not dealt well with one another before thisss and that I think it isss very much time that we made the effort.”
Again there was the nod of the head, the sign that Kyl would not be swayed in this matter. He knew also that he could trust Cabe to make the request of Darkhorse. The warlock sometimes wished that the half-elf who had raised him had not been so brutally honest. Cabe would make the request, no matter how uncertain he was as to the wisdom of it.
He could only hope that Darkhorse laughed at it. Adding the eternal to the meeting between the two monarchs threatened to replace the carefully organized affair with a haphazard, tense confrontation.
Was that what Kyl wanted?
“I’ll see what I can do for you, Kyl. Darkhorse can be anywhere; you know that as well as I do. It may prove impossible to locate him in time, much less pass on your request to him.”
“I have faith in you, Massster Bedlam.” The drake rose, each movement graceful and swift, like a cat. “My Lord Green, if there isss nothing elssse requiring my immediate attention, it isss time for my riding lesssons. Masssters Ssarekai and Ironshoe have been teaching me some of the more sssubtle differencesss between handling a drake and riding
a horssse.” He scratched his chin. “I have been thinking of riding one of the latter when I enter Talak. Much more graceful and regal than a riding drake, albeit not nearly ssso deadly looking. I have not made up my mind which would be preferable.”
The master of the Dagora Forest shook his helmed head. “No, my liege. I have said what I came to sssay. I thank you for your time and trouble.”
“Not at all.” To his brother, Kyl added, “Grath, I will need to sssee you later.”
Both drakes bowed to their future emperor. Cabe settled for a respectful appearance. He could not bring himself to bow, no matter how agitated he sensed the Green Dragon had become upon noticing the human’s action. The dragon heir did not even seem to notice. He simply turned away and vanished into the labyrinth.
After a pause, the Dragon King straightened. He looked down at the warlock. “You should bow when he leaves, friend Cabe.” When his companion would not answer him, the dragon turned toward Grath. “Well, my prince. Do you still desssire to speak with me? I have a little time to spare before I must depart for my kingdom.”
“If I would not be disturbing you, Lord Green.”
“Of courssse not.”
Cabe, not desiring any animosity to remain between himself and the one Dragon King he trusted, suggested, “My children made mention of Mistress Belima before, my lord. I can assure you that she’s found time to make some of the meat pies you find so fascinating. That may be because they’re also Grath’s favorites, I believe.” A look from the young drake indicated complete agreement. “Perhaps you would care for a light meal. I’m certain that Grath would be interested.”
Legends of the Dragonrealm, Vol. III Page 39