“Do you understand how special you and Helio are?” Grimelda asked.
Astra was still angry with her, and rolled her eyes. “Dragons and people get bound, it happens.”
“No, Astra, it doesn’t just happen. For generations, all of the bondmates have been arranged by the humans. They search for the eggs right before they are due to hatch, and make arrangements to get who they want by the nest. That new husband of yours...?”
Astra winced.
“Well, he is. Anyone who says there might be something that can be done to break it is just buying time before telling you the truth.”
The faerie continued, “Linden, and every other bound human was created by the planning of the humans involved. Every one. Except you.”
A sharp knock at the door ended the reverie. A solemn voice said, “Ladies, your presence has been requested in the library.”
Astra stood up trembling. Still bedecked in her dragon bestowed wedding finery, she glanced over at Grimelda. The faerie was still dressed in a dull dress that had been slit open in the back to allow her wings to escape. The metal bones of her corset stuck out at odd angles. When she had made long strides to assume a battle stance, she had stepped on her hem and yanked a portion of the skirt from the waistband. Where she had withdrawn her small arsenal of daggers from her updo, she had left a lopsided vortex of hair.
“Oh, sparrow crap,” the faerie bent, and waggling her fingers began at the hem of her dress, shimmery threads shot out from her fingers, and as she moved her hands upwards, created a silken gown in shades of emerald and sapphire. The gown worked around her magnificent wings.
When her hands reached her shoulders, her hair began to twist and spin in the air. The hair that had always been tightly pompadoured and shellacked in place was now a vibrant swirling vortex of curls. Grimelda snapped her fingers, and the curls combed themselves out and draped down her back. “Better?”
Astra sank to the floor with a very undainty thump. “You can do magic, like real magic?”
“Yes, dear, that’s sort of the point.”
“Why didn’t you do magic before, back home?”
“I did, Astra. Disguising myself and Helio took all of my power. I didn’t have any left over, and anyway, we were hiding.”
“About that…” Astra began when the knock on the door resumed.
“Ladies, at your leisure,” the footman said in voice that clearly meant, “Hurry the hell up.”
“We are not finished here.” Astra pointed her finger at the faerie in a way that she would never have done to Grimmie. The door opened. “Astra wait for me,” the faerie said.
Instead, Astra strode out the door giving the guard waiting for them an appraising look. The second she was past the threshold, an iron gate slammed down. She was in the hallway of a castle belonging to strangers, and her faerie godmother was locked in their room.
Astra froze. She yanked her arm out of the grasps of the soldier. Years of rigging and belaying had made her stronger than she looked. He made a rough grab at her again, and she turned to run, although she had no idea where she was. Reeling around a corner, she smacked into a broad chest. Realizing that it was Prince Linden, she punched him in the chest. The two soldiers behind him immediately moved to cut her in half with their swords, only the prince’s calm refrain of, “Hold. Hold.” made them restrain themselves.
“I was coming to apologize for the things I said earlier, but I think this is an overreaction.”
“You won’t get away with this,” she cried.
“What are you talking about?”
“One of your father’s men lured my father out of his cell. They’ve locked Grimelda up and locked me out here! That’s what I’m talking about.”
He stood silently for a moment, “I’m not surprised that he has separated you and Lady Grimelda, but why do you think he lured your father away?”
He silently walked to the door of the drakesalve’s cell and peered in through a slit in the door. Exchanging a concerned look with his men, he held a finger to his lips and took Astra’s arm. Actually, he tried to take Astra’s arm, but she lurched away. Glaring at him, she had no choice but to walk along since she was surrounded by his men.
When they reached a split in the corridor, Linden gestured for Astra to follow him. She was considering screaming, and doing anything she could to get away from his battalion of soldiers when something buzzed around her ear. She slapped the tiny annoyance away only to have it immediately careen around to her other ear. “Grimmie sent me, she says go with the prince.”
Astra was feeling less than fond of “the Lady Grimelda” but she didn't have anyone else to trust, so she did as instructed.
Linden led her into a very small chamber under some stairs. “This is the only part of the castle that we can have privacy in. I know you must be scared to death. I mean you no harm.”
Astra was very aware of how much of the space was taken up with Linden’s broad shoulders.
“Now, tell me about the men who took your father.”
“His name was Firth, your father’s dragonmaster.”
Linden pursed his lips. “Firth isn't working for my father. He was replaced as dragonmaster last year.”
“My dad says he knows everything there is to know about dragons.”
“He does, but he had a disagreement with the king. It was all I could do to keep him alive. I don't know why he would risk coming in here.”
“He said he needed my dad’s skills. What did they disagree about?”
“Firth believes the dragons are sickening and dying because of forced bonding. Why would that make them sick?”
She noticed for the first time that his eyes were green and his skin golden. It took effort to pay attention to what he was saying, pressed against him as she was in the cupboard.
“Because when dragons freebond, they choose the person to bond with. The way we do it here, watching the hatching and grabbing the dragonlet, means that they are bonding with less noble people.”
“So they are weaker stock?”
“How are the dragons,” he gestured upwards with his thumb, “up there?”
“Cloudtreaders don't exactly bond. Their dragons are like… I’m not sure of the word, an animal that works for you…”
“Livestock.”
“Livestock?”
“Yes, horses, and cows, and chickens, not dragons.”
“I don't know what those other things are.”
“Horses are what we rode back to the castle on.”
“Oh.”
There was another buzz in her ear, and Astra flinched. “Be nicer to him,” said the fierce buzz.
Astra ignored it.
“Heliotrope freebonded with you?”
“I think her mother chose me, well, her mother chose my mother, but they weren't bonded. Which makes no sense.”
“You don't know the legends of the Princess Hyacinth?”
Astra was stunned. Unbidden tears sprang to her eyes. “I know almost nothing about my mother.”
Loud footsteps in the corridor demanded their attention. Linden leaned close and fiercely whispered, “We will agree to honor the marriage. The king has no intention of losing the amethyst dragon. I swear on my mother's soul that I will not harm you, or your father, or your faerie.”
Linden gave her a firm push into the corridor, and they were immediately surrounded by marching soldiers. Linden kept a reassuring hand on her lower back.
The soldiers carried on marching. And Linden and Astra turned into a cavernous library. Astra had never seen anything like it. Chairs were covered in a gleaming brown material that she had never seen before. Shelves of books lined the room and reached the ceiling. The king sat behind a long table with advisors on either side of him.
“The marriage stands.” he said firmly. “You are lucky, my son, this one is rather pretty. Which is beside the point, but still pleasant to behold.”
Astra said nothing, and Linden merely said, “Yes, F
ather.”
Astra couldn't help herself and interjected, “If we honor the marriage, my father and Grimmie... I mean, the Lady Grimelda must be treated well.”
“Well, working for me won’t be anything like the torture the cloud crazies would subject him to. As for the lawless faerie, no can do. She broke the law, absconded with a princess’ baby and the only remaining amethyst dragon.”
There was an uncomfortable stirring among his advisors which the king quieted with a ferocious glare.
Linden was quick to add, “Nothing will happen to the faerie right now, she is safe in the cell.”
The king shrugged his shoulders, “The dragons have mated, so we’ll have a feast, and then it’s your turn.” The king found this hilarious and laughed so hard that the priest sitting next to him had to pound his back to make him stop coughing.
Astra was not amused. She was horrified. Linden’s hand on the small of her back was comforting.
“Fine, then, let’s feast.”
“Your Majesty, what about...” she was on the verge of insisting that her father must attend her wedding when she realized that if Firth wasn't working for the king, then perhaps it was good that Pa was with him.
“Yes, my dear,” he said with exaggerated kindness.
“What about the dragons,” she clumsily blurted. “I would like to see Heliotrope.”
“Now? Before the party?”
Astra knew that her well-being was nothing to this king, but that he very much wanted her dragon. “Helio has never been away from me, I do not want her to feel fear or sorrow. It might make her, ummm…less fertile.”
The little squeeze Linden gave her back told her she had done well.
The king looked around sourly. One of his advisors said, “Since we can't ask Fir-,” and stopped himself suddenly. “Perhaps better safe than sorry.”
The king gave an annoyed sigh. “Very well, go visit the dragons, but when the lanterns get lit, I expect you in that ballroom impressing my guests.” He waved them away.
“He expects to control Helio through Rout,” whispered Astra.
Linden gave a tight nod.
“Then he doesn't know Heliotrope…”
“And he doesn't know me.” Linden said grimly.
Chapter 7
A Dowry of Amethysts
They were escorted through the castle and out a smaller door than the grand front entrance. Linden knew exactly where he was going and walked confidently down the stone path. Astra had no choice but to hold his hand and struggle to keep up.
“Oh, sorry,” he said. “You aren’t very tall are you?”
Astra shrugged her shoulders, “I guess not. You are very tall.”
He shrugged his back, “Yes, I am.”
They neared a deep cavern. Linden didn’t even slow down. “Rout!” He called. There was a snorting noise from within the cave, and Rout had magically lit torches illuminating the way. They cast long shadows on the stone walls as they approached the newlywed dragons. Astra was nauseated to see the mostly devoured carcass of a large animal on the floor of the cave.
Linden shrugged and tried to make light of it, “Even dragons deserve a wedding feast.” The remains reminded Astra of the horses that the soldiers had ridden to the castle. She had no idea there were land animals with four legs. The idea was rather horrifying.
Rout’s bulk took up much of the cavern, and his more delicate wife nestled beside him. Both looked very pleased with themselves. Astra was discomfited by Helio’s blissful expression. She attempted to scold her dragon in her head but only got, “Oh, hush, you don’t even know what you are talking about yet.”
Astra clapped her hands to her mouth. She had always known that Helio could hear her, but she had never gotten a response like this. “They didn’t just hide you from the king and Shepherd Ezekiel,” Astra lamented. “They hid you from me, too.”
Heliotrope pressed her head against Astra’s forehead and gave her happy trilling noise.
“I am so sorry for the life you’ve had so far,” Astra thought.
“It was worth it for you, and now I have both of you,” Heliotrope replied.
Astra sent memories and thoughts of gratitude, wanting to make sure Helio knew how much she loved her.
Rout nudged Linden with his enormous snout, and the prince said, “We have to return for the feast.”
Astra followed him out of the cave. “Will your father really execute my pa?”
“I won’t let him. It would be easier if he could go back to the cloudtreaders, though.”
“Your father would have to let him out of jail first,” Astra said indignantly.
“He might not live through the torture this time, though. He’s not as young as he was.”
“Nobody tortured my father.”
“His back isn’t covered in scars?”
Astra spoke slowly, “He is a drakesalve. The dragons aren’t always gentle.”
“We’ve heard that when he wanted to return there with you, the deal was that he’d get flogged 1000 lashes.”
“No, I’m sure penance was involved, but not that,” she said, her surety fading. The marks on her father’s back did look more like stripes than the random marks from treating a dragon.
“Will you tell me about my mother? I mean, what you have heard of her?” she asked suddenly.
They had arrived at the entrance to the castle.
“I will as soon as we leave the feast,” he promised.
There was no way they could quietly enter. A herald called out, “The bride and groom, His Royal Highness, Linden Prince of Eastern Terran and his new bride the Princess Aster.”
Astra immediately noted the odd pronunciation of her name and doubted that it was an accident. Linden led her to the head table. She curtsied to the king and the sweet, if somewhat befuddled, woman who had chided Linden earlier. “Mother, may I present my bride, Astra? My mother, the Queen Delphine.”
“Oh, did you marry the girl? I didn’t know.” Queen Delphine was dressed in a well made, if simple, dark velvet gown. A sheer wimple covered her hair. Her eyes widened in surprise, “Oh, hello, my dear. Why are you at the castle?”
Astra noted the way Linden winced and followed his gaze. On the king’s far side, a young woman sat eating from his majesty’s plate. Astra felt her cheeks flush. It was blatantly disrespectful that the king would flaunt his mistress in front of his wife and the entire court.
The new bride was outraged on her mother-in-law’s behalf. She leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on the older woman’s cheek. “I will take good care of your son,” she promised.
“I have a son too. He’s just a little boy. We named him Linden.”
The prince helped Astra into her chair, and sat down himself.
Almost immediately, the king made a gesture, and a trio of musicians came forth. While one of them strummed an instrument that Astra had never seen before, the other two began to sing. A group of very pretty, young women stood to dance around the room, while the king openly ogled them. His majesty was delighted with the song and kept pace with it by banging his fist on the table gleefully.
Lords and Ladies fair,
Gather ye from near and far
I have a tale to bare,
Of fatherly love unmarred
Tally, tally, tally the song bursts forth
The king was sought by the dragon Ore
To bond with one of her own sons
Our gentle king wanted nothing more.
But when his prince, his precious one
Longed to be as knights of lore
The king put his heir forward then
Tally, tally, tally the song bursts forth
The prince was young and pure of heart
The dragon bronze and strong
They both vowed to do their part
Their bond will last their lives long.
As the singers burst into another chorus of “Tally, tally” the song bursts forth, she noticed the fury her new husband
could barely conceal.
The buzz that she had heard earlier appeared again. Startled, Astra slapped at her ear. A small, red and black sphere landed on her lap and began to crawl. Astra went to frantically brush it off herself, but Linden was faster.
“It’s just a lady bug,” he said, and gently plucked it off so that it could fly away.
“That is a very tiny and very inelegant lady,” she said to the laughs of the people around her.
The king hooted with laughter,” Don’t mind her! She doesn’t know how the world works.” He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and took a swig of wine, “But who the hell cares, the girl has an amethyst.”
Queen Delphine patted Astra’s arm, “There is an old legend that ladybugs are faerie’s familiars, they can carry their messages.”
The king glared at his wife. “That is the stupidest thing you have said in a long time, and that, my addlepated broodmare, is saying something.”
“He’s hated me since our son was a little boy. Not sure why,” the queen murmured.
Linden was gripping his knife in a way that made Astra nervous. She reached over and laid her hand on his muscular leg, hoping to soothe him. Neither the bride nor groom had eaten a bite when the king suddenly stood up.
“All right, those dragon babies will need princes and princesses to bond with. Let’s get these two lovebirds in the mating business.”
Astra was glad her father wasn’t present because she didn’t doubt for a minute that he would have punched the king in his rude, drunken, greedy nose.
Linden rose and lifted Astra with him. “No need for a procession, you stay and dance.”
His bride stood on tiptoe and whispered in his ear.
The king continued his outburst, “The lad can hardly wait! That’s my lusty boy!” Linden bent and offered an arm to his mother. Astra was relieved to take the prince’s other hand, and without lifting her eyes, be led out of the ballroom.
The corridors were full of servants all of whom looked at Linden with real fondness. One of them approached and whispered to the prince. Astra winced expecting it to be something else crass.
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