Struggling to his feet, Ahnon swayed drunkenly over to Michi as Kenna carried a handful of bloody meat to each griffon. When she was finished feeding them, she went to each one with a napkin and cleaned their beaks. The entire time, she chatted away at them.
The griffons lay down in a circle, and Jedek joined them, but Kenna would go to each one, crawling over it and hugging and kissing it. Karme finally joined them, but seeing Kenna clean the blood off the beaks made her faint again. A servant finally brought out a pillow for her.
It was a few hours until sunset when Tilbus came out carrying a satchel. He bowed to the griffons, handing it over. The griffons stood, stretching their wings. Kenna ran to each one, hugging and kissing them and telling them to be careful or she would cry. Jedek bowed to each one, and they liked that.
As the griffons flew by the two setting suns, Kenna was waving at them, holding seven three-foot-long feathers. Jedek was only holding one but didn’t seem to mind. When the griffons were out of sight, the kids ran over to Michi and Ahnon. The servants had carried Karme inside, still passed out.
“Ahnon, thank you so much,” Kenna said, smiling.
“No problem,” Ahnon said, looking at Kenna. “You have blood on your face.” Michi’s eyes rolled up in his head, and he fell on his face.
Kenna looked down at Michi, unconscious at her feet. “It’s not mine. Desgeoff wanted me to eat with them,” Kenna said.
“Desgeoff?” Ahnon asked, blinking, trying to get his eyes to focus on her.
“The leader’s name, Ahnon,” Kenna said.
“A griffon told you his name?” Ahnon asked, feeling lightheaded.
“They all did, Ahnon; it’s only polite.”
“That’s nice,” Ahnon said as his eyes rolled back, and he joined Michi at the little girl’s feet.
Chapter 11
The next morning, Ahnon refused to leave the great hall after breakfast, so everyone sat at the tables talking. Both Ahnon and Michi had swollen noses and puffy eyes from their broken noses and very sour moods. Kenna and Jedek were busy replaying the events of the day before, much to Ahnon’s displeasure.
“Ahnon!” he heard someone shout. Rolling his eyes, he saw Emperor Tilbus looking at him. “You having trouble hearing today?” he asked.
“Tilbus, I’m not in the mood,” Ahnon stated flatly.
Tilbus started laughing. “Come on, Ahnon, she charmed those griffons,” he said.
“I would just as soon forget yesterday ever occurred and would like it stricken from all records,” Ahnon said.
“I agree,” Michi said, nodding.
Vilarius’ face split into a grin. “It wasn’t that bad, Ahnon.”
Queen Eira shook her head. “Your majesty, if I’m not mistaken, you were having a fit yesterday when the kids were surrounded by griffons.”
“I wasn’t that bad,” he said.
“You punched three people, and Theobald had to hold you down so you wouldn’t run outside with your sword,” she said smiling, shutting the king up.
“That’s not natural,” Michi said for the thousandth time.
“So you’ve said, Michi,” Eira said.
“Queen Eira, Kenna had one griffon lying on his back so she could scratch his belly,” he almost shouted.
“I saw, Michi, and I heard it the last ten times you said it,” Eira said with a smile.
Michi drew a breath to continue, and Ahnon grabbed his arm. “Don’t, Michi. I don’t want to hear anymore.”
Tilbus smiled at him then glanced at the kids. “Prince Jedek and Princess Kenna, how did you know what they were saying? It takes the griffon ambassadors months to learn the griffon tongue,” he asked.
“Your ambassador is mean. He wouldn’t let me feed my friends,” Kenna popped off.
“I’m sorry, your highness, and I have talked to him about that. You didn’t have to sic a griffon on him.”
“I didn’t tell them to attack him. Desgeoff said that was rude for making me mad. You probably shouldn’t let him feed the griffons anymore. I think they want to tear him apart,” Kenna said nonchalantly.
Tilbus’ face paled. “I shall find him another duty for the crown then,” he mumbled.
“Okay, but how did you learn their language so fast, Kenna? And you too, Jedek,” Vilarius asked.
Jedek shrugged. “I don’t know, but when Ahnon started talking to them, at first, I just heard a drumming in their chest. When we could look at them, I could almost see what they were saying by the way they moved. As Ahnon continued to talk, it suddenly just…clicked,” he said.
“Astounding,” Vilarius said then looked at Ahnon. “How long did it take you?” he asked.
“I don’t want to talk about griffons anymore, your majesty,” he replied in a monotone.
“Oh, come on now!” Vilarius shouted, making Ahnon’s head hurt. Seeing Ahnon just close his eyes and rub his forehead, Vilarius grinned. “I’ll get you a bigger fishbowl and a bigger gray fish,” he offered.
Ahnon lifted his head. “It took me about half an hour. The hunter I was training under could speak it. You remember I have an ahus̆-roc for a familiar, and the language is similar.”
“I want to learn it,” Tilbus said.
“I’ll teach you,” Kenna offered, making Tilbus smile.
“If you just get her talking to them, Tilbus, you will figure it out fairly quickly. You talk to horses and falcons, so you have the foundation.” Ahnon said.
Vilarius leaned over the table. “Horses talk?” he asked.
Theobald put his hand on Vilarius’ shoulder. “Yes, sire, but I’ve not taught you because you’re a big man, and they say some very unpleasant things about you. Horses are not very formal.”
“I’ll get bigger horses,” Vilarius offered.
Theobald nodded. “We shall start making offers at once, sire.”
“Kenna, how did you get their names?” Tilbus asked.
“I asked,” she said innocently, raising Ahnon’s suspicion.
Tilbus shook his head. “All the ambassadors have asked,” he mumbled.
Jedek smiled. “She asked Retalogh his name first. He was the lowest-ranking griffon, and he just looked away from her. Kenna just dropped on her bottom and started pouting, with tears and everything, saying she was sorry. The other griffons wanted to know what Retalogh told her to make her cry. When Desgeoff found out, he told Kenna his name. Then she ran over, giving him all kinds of hugs and kisses. It wasn’t long after that she had the others.”
Closing his eyes, Ahnon shook his head as he grabbed Jedek’s shoulder. “Sire, I’m sorry, but I just want you to remember what you just said—forever. You will never win in your house, so accept it now, for both our sakes.”
Jedek gave him a perplexed look. “I don’t understand.”
“In time, you will. Just remember my words for both our sakes and sanity,” Ahnon said, letting his shoulder go. Jedek shook his head at Ahnon then looked around the table, noticing the grins from the other adults, but his mother had a genuine smile.
“What is he talking about, Mother?” Jedek asked.
“A very valuable lesson, son, if you listen. If you don’t listen, the results are the same, but you will be vexed more than you have to be.”
“I really think as you grow older, the four moons pull on your mind, making you crazy,” Jedek mumbled, leaning back in his chair.
Tilbus tried not to laugh. “Jedek, did the griffons let you call them by name?” he asked.
“I didn’t want to try it,” Jedek admitted, “since I saw how scared Ahnon and Michi were of them. Then when one hollered out twenty dragons wasn’t a problem, I really didn’t want to be close to them. But I just couldn’t leave Kenna there by herself.”
The men at the table nodded in agreement. “So you didn’t call them by name?” Tilbus asked, and Jedek wouldn’t answer him, and Kenna was looking at him with hard eyes on such a gentle face.
“After I made him!” Kenna snapped, and Jedek wouldn�
��t look at her.
“What did the griffons do?” Tilbus asked.
“Well, I didn’t really make him. Jedek just kept saying ‘majestic griffon this,’ ‘majestic griffon that,’ so I asked him to say their names, and he said no!” Kenna said, flinging her hair back. “I told him it wasn’t nice. They had names, and he needed to use them. He said, ‘the majestic griffons have not told me their names,’ with attitude. I tried to tell him I knew them, but he wouldn’t listen. Then, Desgeoff came up and gave permission for Jedek to speak the names,” Kenna said, smiling. “And he did,” she said happily.
“Desgeoff told me he was going to pull my feathers off,” Jedek mumbled.
“He was just playing,” Kenna said, patting his arm.
“Sire, forget about what I said about remembering later. Remember it now,” Ahnon said.
“I wonder if my ambassadors could use their names?” Tilbus wondered.
Kenna shook her head, sending her hair everywhere. “They shouldn’t try it if you want to keep them. Desgeoff told me Jedek and I were the first humans to know the names of griffons,” she stated proudly. The room stilled at the realization.
Jedek looked at Ahnon. “Ahnon, you’ve been teaching basic components. I was just curious. Are the parts of griffons magical?” he asked.
“Highly,” Ahnon said. “But you never, ever even think about it. You never carry anything from a griffon on you unless a griffon gives it of free will. Other griffons can smell it, and don’t ask me how, but they know if you took it or have killed one. Your life is measured in heartbeats, not days.”
Vilarius laughed. “Oh come on, Ahnon, there’s a component store in the Velham that has several griffon components.”
“More than likely, they’re fake. If not, the griffons can’t smell them with the stink of the capital,” Ahnon said. “I came upon a hunter, or should say what was left of one, and his caravan. They had killed a griffon in the Crystal Mountains. I counted supplies for twenty-two people and double that in horses. With what was left of all of them, I could’ve put it in my hat.”
“What did you do?” Jedek asked.
“I buried the body of the griffon so his pack wouldn’t associate me with the group. The pack did thank me when I was done.”
“Bet that was scary,” Theobald said.
“You have no idea. They flew in as I was trying to move the body to the hole I dug. I really thought I was dead. The leader told me they knew what I was doing and helped me, even giving me a feather. I had to change pants after they flew off,” Ahnon admitted.
Tilbus grinned. “Your life has been nothing but adventure,” he said enviously.
Ahnon stood up. “Until ten years ago, you could’ve had it,” he said, pulling Jedek’s chair back. Picking Jedek up, Ahnon threw him over his shoulder and looked at Michi. “You still want to continue this today?” Ahnon asked.
“I must go into the city first and get a few things, but yes. I’m getting much better,” Michi said.
Karme laid her head on the table. “Oh, come on. I don’t want to today. I’m still sore from the last time, and my head hurts from hitting the ground so many times yesterday,” she whined.
Michi stood up. “Karme, that behavior is intolerable. You will be there, and you’ll like it,” he commanded.
Snapping her head up, she scowled at him. “I’ll be there, but I will not like it.”
“See you in an hour,” Ahnon said, walking away with Jedek hitting his back, telling Ahnon to put him down. The two suddenly blurred, zipping out the open door across the hall, filling the massive hall with a gust of wind.
“I love watching Ahnon do magic. He makes it look so easy and carefree,” Tilbus said, looking across the hall. “What do you two have planned today, Michi?” Tilbus asked, seeing Michi pick Kenna up and kick Karme’s chair to get her moving.
“Nothing important, your majesty,” Michi said, pulling Karme out of her chair by her arm. Grabbing Kenna, Michi swung her to his back.
“Hey, if you two are practicing magic, I want to come,” Tilbus asked hopefully.
“I wish,” Karme mumbled.
Michi shook his head. “No, your majesty, that’s tomorrow,” he said, looking harshly at Karme.
Karme stomped her feet pathetically, “Can’t you two use someone else? I will tie up any woman you want and hold her for you, but I really don’t want to,” she whined and moaned.
Giving her a cold stare, Michi barely shook his head, and Karme stopped. “Ahnon said you’re the perfect subject, so no,” he said then turned around, looking at the open door across the hall. “You better keep up. If I have to come and find you, let’s just say you will be able to tell us how cold the water is in the middle of the bay,” he said, suddenly blurring as he rocketed out of the hall. Everyone could hear Kenna’s squeal of delight fading as the few papers on the table shot into the air.
Karme pulled out a pouch. “It’s just because I’m a girl. This is so not fair. I’m going to be a laughingstock,” she said to herself, holding the pouch. Then she shot out after Michi and Kenna.
Tilbus looked at the Vilarius. “I’m not sure I want to know what they’re doing,” he admitted, and Eira busted out laughing. “What’s so funny, Queen Eira?” he asked.
“I will come and get you and my husband at the noon bell and show you. This is the most entertaining thing I have ever seen,” she said, standing up. “I’m going to get ready now. It doesn’t get good till they’ve been working for a few hours,” she said, leaving with Akene close behind.
“Do you know where she’s going, Theobald?” Vilarius asked, watching her leave.
“Yes, sire. The dining hall in the south wing,” he replied.
Vilarius turned to Tilbus, raising his eyebrows. Tilbus nodded. “We can push the state business back a day,” he said.
“They’re doing magic tomorrow,” Vilarius reminded him.
“We’re kings. We can move it further back.”
Vilarius jumped up, followed by Tilbus, both heading to the south wing. “Sire, you want to stop by the kitchen first. There’s usually not enough food for the crowd,” Theobald said.
Vilarius froze and didn’t turn around. “You know what they’re doing?” he asked.
“Yes, sire. They have been at it for months, and it’s usually standing room only, but I’m sure I can find you two a chair.”
Vilarius spun around. “You didn’t tell me?” he accused.
“You wouldn’t have believed me, sire.”
“Oh, I’m so there,” Tilbus said, breaking into a run.
Two and a half hours later, Vilarius and Tilbus, both carrying an armload of food, walked up to the door to the dining hall. “Your majesties,” they heard and turned to see Theobald walking toward them. He stopped, seeing the armloads of food. “We aren’t moving in,” he told them.
“You said bring food,” Vilarius whispered.
Theobald smiled. “Yes, sire. They’ve already started. Now, don’t talk. They throw stuff at people who talk, and the others in the crowd join them. If you have to, just whisper. I have your chairs beside Eira. Karme is in a really foul mood, but no laughing,” Theobald warned, walking to the door.
They followed him in to see about sixty people on one end of the dining hall sitting and standing, many with paper and quill making notes. On the other end were Kenna and Karme standing on pedestals about two feet tall. They both had their arms held out as Ahnon and Michi pinned fabric around them. Vilarius bit his bottom lip and turned to follow Theobald. Sitting down by Eira, they started passing food out.
“Michi, you’re bunching around her waist,” they heard Ahnon say. Vilarius looked up, seeing Michi pinning fabric around Karme’s waist. Then he noticed the royal seamstress to the side, taking notes.
He leaned over to Eira. “Who are all these people?” he whispered.
“Seamstresses from the city. They started coming in a few weeks ago. Ahnon said if they were quiet, he didn’t care if I didn’t. I said
bring them in if they can learn from him,” she whispered back.
“You mean they make Karme and Kenna stand like this a lot?” Vilarius asked.
“Four times a week, but Akene and I trade out with Kenna. She is a little girl, and holding that still does take concentration,” she said, never taking her eyes off the lesson.
“You stand in front of a crowd with your bodice on?” the king whispered harshly.
“Shh. Yes. It’s no different than a dress, so drop it. I’ve gotten five dresses, three gowns, and a formal gown out of it. I would be up there today in Kenna’s spot, but I knew you might be coming, and I’d have to keep you reined in. Today, they are doing floor-length formal evening ball gowns with full skirts and boned corsets, and I really wanted one,” she said with more than a little malice in her voice.
Vilarius jumped back so she wouldn’t pull his beard. “I don’t know what you said, but I’ll buy you one,” he offered in a low whisper.
“They start at half a gold crown and go up to a full crown,” she said with narrowed eyes. Vilarius’ eyes got wide as he took a deep breath. Eira put her finger on his lips. “You disturb them, and I’ll have you removed,” she warned. “By force.” She squinted at him. Tilbus was on the other side of Vilarius, vibrating with laughter. “Let your friend know,” she said, taking her finger away from his lips.
Vilarius leaned over, giving the warning.
“Michi, hide your darts!” he heard Ahnon shout.
“I did,” Michi said, looking at Karme’s waist.
“No, you didn’t. If you don’t move it further in, when you sew it, the seam can be easily seen,” Ahnon said, walking over, showing him. “Look at how I did Kenna’s waist and continue from there. I’ll fix this,” Ahnon said, and Michi rushed over to Kenna.
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