by Charles Lamb
Kelby watched as Cassie attempted to wedge the blade between the edges of the top and bottom of the box. Slowly she was able to work the blade in until they heard an audible snap, causing the box lid to pop up about an inch.
Kelby reached forward and slowly lifted the top, exposing the contents to the four. The egg inside was about two feet long and… egg shaped. It had an iridescent sheen to it that swirled in colors ranging from light red to various pinks.
“This is the Red Dragon’s egg,” Abrianna said absently as they all gawked at its beauty.
“We can get my mom back,” Kelby heard Cassie whisper, tears appearing in the nymph’s eyes.
----*----
Alex and Leander sprinted down the hallway, with Kinsey now leading the way. He used his senses to feel for the presence of Tantalus, insuring the man couldn’t slip past them and double back. They came upon Tantalus’s chambers, the doors blown off their hinges and the guards laying on the floor.
Alex had triggered the last of the charges when he saw Tantalus run this way, hoping to catch the man as he retreated. After a quick check of the damage, they didn’t see their target among any of the bodies spread around the hall.
A crash in the chamber beyond drew all three into the room, where they found things in disarray, as if someone had been scrambling to pack valuables. Alex saw clothing and other items tossed across the floor, with drawers and cabinets left open.
A loud flapping brought their attention to an open set of doors leading to an exterior patio, where they could see Tantalus mounting a small green dragon, hardly bigger than Shadows. They rushed to prevent the escape, but were met with a wall of flame as the dragon reacted to the threat.
Alex deflected what he could and by the time the flame had receded, Tantalus was aloft and gaining altitude. Both men ran to the edge of the patio, where they could watch as the green dragon circled the castle a few times, assessing the situation below, before finally turning and heading to the coast, and the city of Nyland.
Exchanging looks of frustration, both men turned and headed back inside where they were met by the stragglers of Tantalus’s beleaguered guard. The three men stood, swords raised high, challenging the two men and the wolf.
“Really?” Alex asked, the frustration clear in his voice. “Your boss is gone, abandoning you to save his own hide, and you are going to die for him?” He pointing at them with his elven blade, the blood of other guards still evident on it.
The three glanced back and forth between themselves, before the man in the center finally spoke up.
“By your leave, Sire?” the man asked pointing back over his shoulder and lowering his blade. The others quickly followed suit, apparently anxious to avoid another fight.
“Go,” was Alex’s reply. The men backed away at first, suspicious of a trick, and then turned to quickly disappear down the hallway.
Motioning for Leander to follow, he led the way back to the egg room where he had sealed the rest of their party inside. As the rounded the corner, he was just in time to see the three men he had released gather the remainder of the guard, and retreat down the stairs at the end of the hall.
“Tantalus?” Kelby asked as Alex dropped the shield sealing the room.
“He escaped on a small green dragon,” Alex answered calmly.
“Escaped!” Kelby snapped.
“Don’t worry, I know where he’s going. He won’t get far.”
“Alex, these are the Red Dragon’s eggs,” Cassie said excitedly as she pointed to two of the carved boxes.
“Excellent, and the Sea Dragon?” he asked, drawing confused looks in reply.
“Over here,” Abrianna answered absently.
“Great. OK, here’s what we are going to do,” Alex began as he explained the next steps of his plan.
Chapter 28
Tantalus was enraged beyond belief as he rode the small green dragon to Nyland and safety. He had his ship at anchor there; it could return him to Freeport or perhaps even Tazmain, and his holdings there. The loss of the eggs was devastating, as it removed the control he had over the most powerful weapons he had.
The small green dragon he now rode was a juvenile; too little to carry him across the sea and too young to break from his control. However, if he failed to collect her eggs once she matured, she would also be lost to him as well.
He knew that the dragons would have no knowledge that he no longer held their eggs until such time as the new owner made it known to them. He had a small window of opportunity to take advantage of this fact. It should be just long enough to permit him to escape safely.
He had managed to pack what riches he could carry into the satchel strapped to his back as well as his dagger and sword. Fortunately, he had left a good part of his wealth and personal effects on board his ship, so he wasn’t entirely destitute and devoid of belongings.
He prided himself on distributing his wealth widely, insuring no single event could rob him of his way of life. Granted, this was a major setback, but he was optimistic that his new, closer relationship with the Dark Elves might compensate the losses.
In a short time, he found himself approaching Nyland, smoke rising from the chimneys marking its location on the coast. Rather than creating a major disturbance by landing a dragon in the town square, he had his mount land him far enough outside the city to avoid attracting unwanted attention.
As he started the short walk to town, his rage continued to build and he started plotting his revenge on the upstart Mage who had caused his misery.
----*----
Rather than do the heavy lifting he required himself, Alex sealed off the egg chamber once more and led his companions downstairs. Once they reached the main floor, they found the Vassal King rallying his guard, or what remained of them anyway, in the large common area.
“How dare you attack my kingdom!” shouted the Vassal King as Alex led the way onto the stone floor from the stairway.
The man had lined his troops up as a barrier between himself and the group, their blades drawn and at the ready. As a precaution and a warning, Alex formed a bright energy ball, held extended between his hands. The crackling ball was a clear demonstration of his power and a threat to terminate anyone he might pass it to.
“As Lord Protector of Windfall, I have every right to pursue fugitives of Renfeld’s cowardly attack on Great Vale. You were unaware of House Drakon’s support of the attack?” Alex proclaimed, as he eyed the armsmen lined up between himself and their king. He had given the fool an out if he was just smart enough to latch onto it.
“I don’t care...” began the King, before his wife intercepted her husband’s lapse of judgement.
“We had no idea, my lord, that Tantalus was in league with the criminal, Renfeld. Had we but known, we would have notified you immediately and had the villain thrown in a cell,” the Lady declared, speaking over her husband as she stepped in front of him.
Satisfied that the woman had her husband under control, Alex let the ball dissipate, by passing the energy through the armsmen’s chainmail. The effect was similar to passing low voltage current through their bodies, as a reminder of what was possible. He smiled at the slight shudder that passed through the men.
“Tantalus has escaped. I need several of your men to help me recover the chests he kept locked away upstairs,” Alex instructed, while pointing to the men sheathing their blades. He noticed the King about to offer a comment on the contents of the boxes before his wife again cut him short.
“Yes, take whatever men you require. We are aware of the chests, but have no idea what was kept inside,” the Lady replied as she waved several of the guards forward.
“If you have no further need of us, we wish to retire to our chambers until we can have the mess Tantalus created cleaned up.”
With a nod, Alex watched as the Lady ushered her husband out of the room and up the stairs, insuring he kept his mouth shut the entire way. He had to laugh as he noted she blamed Tantalus for the damages and not Alex o
r Great Vale.
“You men, follow us,” Alex said while waving at a dozen of the Vassal troops. Leading them up to the egg room, he assigned two men per crate. In a line, he led them back downstairs to the main floor and then out into the courtyard beyond.
Once everyone was outside with their crates, he separated the Red Dragon eggs from the rest and then dismissed the men. The six, plus Kinsey, quickly found themselves alone in the cold morning air, as none of the men wanted to test the wizard’s patience.
“Ok, its showtime,” Alex said absently as he closed his eyes, picturing the Red Dragon in the lair beneath their feet in the mountain. To his surprise, he received a mental image of the chamber, as he had seen it before, but different.
It was much brighter than he remembered, and had a strange hue, like he was seeing spectrums of light he had never seen before. Suddenly the view changed and he was looking down into the pit that held Amelia. He could see her sitting on some cushions, next to a small lamp, and reading. The lamp was far brighter than he believed possible.
He was startled for a moment until Alex realized he was seeing through the dragon’s eyes. Regaining his composure, he concentrated on the dragon.
“We have recovered your eggs. Can you bring Lady Amelia safely up to the castle courtyard?” Alex projected. He must have succeeded, as he sensed the quick start of emotion from the creature, before receiving a reply.
“If this is a trick, you will all die,” the dragon replied with enough force that Abrianna gasped and turned to Alex in surprise.
“She is on her way,” Alex replied to the group standing around the crates. He noted a mix of excitement and concern across the faces of those gathered there. As they waited, Alex realized that with all the time he and Cassie had spent together, he had hardly exchanged one word with her mother. What if she objected to the wedding? Her initial response had been less than positive.
His concerns would have to wait as the sound of wings brought all eyes skyward. The sunny courtyard was completely cast in shadows as the massive wings of the Red Dragon were spread wide, slowing its descent.
Alex refused to relinquish his spot between the two Red Dragon crates as the creature landed before him, while everyone else backed away. Even Kinsey took a step back before returning to Alex’s side.
They had opened both Red Dragon boxes, giving the dragon a clear view of the contents. As the creature halted before him, Lady Amelia was placed gently on the ground, where Cassie, throwing all caution to the wind, rushed in to embrace her mother before leading her away.
Everyone watched as the dragon sniffed first one and then the other of the crates, a satisfied huff accompanying each inspection.
“You have fulfilled your promise, Wizard, the Lady is yours,” the dragon projected into his head. Over his shoulder, Alex could hear Abrianna relaying the message to Cassie and her mom. Both broke out in tears.
“What of the others?” the dragon asked while motioning to the other crates with its snout.
“The Lindworm is dead, a casualty of Renfeld’s war. The others I intend to return,” Alex replied. The dragon stared at him for a long while before nodding at the statement.
“I believe you will. For that reason, I will give you some advice. Do not trust the one who rules here, he will turn on you the moment he has opportunity. Also, beware the elves. While they are your ally now, they serve their own purposes,” the dragon relayed, with a tinge of concern in her thoughts.
“I thank you for the warning about the King here. On that note may I ask a small favor?” Alex replied. The dragon waited for him to continue.
“I need to go quickly to the coast, to address two issues. Could you watch over the ladies, Abrianna, Cassandra and her mother, Amelia, until my return?” He pointed to the Sea Dragon eggs and then to the three women, still locked arm in arm.
The dragon paused for a moment, and then understood when Alex pointed to the Sea Dragon’s eggs. It was a clear indication that at least one of the two issues mentioned involved returning the eggs.
“I will watch over them until you return, but be quick, Wizard. It is said that dragons have great patience and integrity, but do not test either of mine,” the dragon replied, tinged with a sense of humor. With that, the dragon settled down and reached out to draw her two crates toward her.
Turning to the others, Alex closed in and started to explain his intentions.
----*----
Tantalus had been able to cross Nyland unmolested and made the harbor carrying his load. It had been some time since he had been forced to walk such a distance, much less with a burden such as this, but he was well motivated.
He was quite annoyed that it had taken so long to get the attention of the ship’s watch before they would dispatch a boat to retrieve him. While others might overlook the incident, considering the circumstances, he had no such intent. After berating the captain for the lack of diligence on his crew’s part, he became further inflamed when he learned they would need to wait for the tide before departing.
He stood on the deck, venting his rage for a long time, watching those around him cringe at his wrath. Finally, exhausted from the morning’s chaos, Tantalus headed down to his stateroom with orders to sail at the first opportunity.
----*----
“I don’t like this plan one little bit, Alex Rogers!” Cassie proclaimed sternly as they prepared Shadows and Rose for flight.
Alex wasn’t the least bit surprised at her attitude. He was however, quite determined that this was the way it had to be.
“Look, sweetheart, Shadows and Rose cannot carry more than two riders. While you could, possibly, ride the dragon, are you really going to ask your mother to do so as well? Or even worse, leave her here while you come with me?” He knew the last was a low blow, but it made his point.
“Why do they have to go with you?” she asked, changing the subject as she pointed to the twin mermaids. Both redheads were each holding one of the Sea Dragon’s eggs in their arms as they waited to mount one of the flying horses.
“Leander and I cannot fly the horse and hold the eggs. Besides, when we reach Nyland, I may need them to help locate the Sea Dragon,” he replied, holding Cassie at arm’s length while staring into her eyes.
Out of the corner of his eye, Alex could see Lady Amelia intently watching the two as they talked. She had been particularly quiet after being released from the dragon’s grasp. He wasn’t sure if that was good or bad, but didn’t have time to investigate. This part of his plan was on a very tight timeline, and he couldn’t afford to miss the changing of the tide in Nyland.
“Kinsey, you stay here and watch over Cassie,” Alex stated before turning back to Cassie.
Giving his smoldering fiancée a kiss, he turned to Kelby and lifted the woman up onto the back of Shadows. He watched as Leander mirrored the task, an over observant Abrianna nearby. With that, both men mounted their charges and slowly nudged the mounts forward until they were clear of the area occupied by the dragon.
Both mermaids slid forward into their rider, trapping the dragon’s eggs between the bodies as they wrapped their arms around each man, insuring its safety. Alex didn’t even bother to check Cassie’s response to that action, he just spurred Shadows forward, and with a single flap, found himself shooting skyward.
Both mounts circled the courtyard once, giving the riders a chance to settle in. Alex gave the dragon below a parting thought of thanks before Shadows broke the pattern and headed to Nyland.
Alex expected that what would take most of a day on the ground would still require several hours in the air. He could feel Kelby’s arms wrapped tightly around his waist and her face buried in his back, giving him the impression that the mermaid wasn’t all that thrilled with flying.
Everyone had bundled up as the cold air was biting at exposed skin. Alex couldn’t be positive, but he thought the horses were flying faster than he had ever experienced. It was as if they understood the need, without him driving them.
&
nbsp; Sooner than expected, Alex could see Nyland ahead, and the harbor beyond. From this height, he was also able to verify the arrival of his reinforcements. Nudging Shadows down, he didn’t bother with landing outside of town to avoid the undue attention it would cause. With what was about to happen, this would be the least of their worries.
Setting down close to the harbor, the four rode their two mounts out toward the docks passing startled workers. Clearing the warehouses, they could see that Tantalus had his ship preparing to make sail and exit the harbor. Alex and Leander dismounted, both assisting the mermaids as they followed suit.
Both women continued to carry the eggs, leaving the men free to lead the horses as they walked out onto one of the many piers extending into the harbor. Dropping the reins, Alex led his small party out to the end of the pier where they could see the activity out on the water.
----*----
Tantalus was throwing a fit on deck, shouting at the captain, his face red from the effort. He had been notified when the tides became favorable for them to set sail, and so came on deck to see them safely to sea. He had serious concerns over the possibility of pursuit from those he escaped from in Gundor.
His current rage had been spawned by the discovery of three ships blocking their exit from the harbor. While similar in style to the pirate vessels he had seen on the crossing over to Nyland, these ships were all flying the banner of Windfall.
“Where did they come from? Why didn’t you see them before?” Tantalus screamed at the captain.
“Sire, they must have been waiting off shore for us to make sail. We had no idea they were there until we stared to leave,” the captain answered.
“Can’t we just go between?” Tantalus shouted as he pointed to the gaps between the three ships.
“No, Sire, the way they are positioned, we would be grappled by any two of them before we made the open water. There is no escape,” the captain replied, resigned to the berating he was about to receive.