Dragon Blade

by J. D. Hallowell

  “It’s possible that he hadn’t figured out your plans but had his eye on these lands before you did.” At Delno’s puzzled look Dorian explained, “We nearly lost the last war. Our army was down by over fifty percent. The Bournese were faring little better when suddenly they began to guess our troop strength and movements with uncanny accuracy. The only way that they could have done so would be if they had surveillance methods that we didn’t. That type of surveillance can only be done from the air, and since we never saw them, we must assume that they watched us at night. Only dragons can see that well at night. It appears that you have been fighting these same enemies for far longer than you realized. If you had not managed to hold Stone Bridge that day and half a thousand troops, even untried recruits, had gotten through to reinforce the soldiers already wreaking havoc on our forces, we would have been forced to surrender then. As it turned out, you forced a stalemate that allowed us to sue for peace on economic grounds. Torrance of Bourne does not care how many men die in his service, but, at least until now, he has been unwilling to completely bankrupt his country to defeat us.”

  “I don’t understand,” Delno said. “Why is the North so important to a man who is seeking first to conquer the South?”

  “I can’t speak with absolute authority, but I have a possible explanation for that,” Dorian answered. “From what you have told me, Warrick is trying to set up a new regime that will be world-wide. He wishes to place the world under the control of Dragon Riders, but only those Riders he controls. The royal lines of Corice and Bourne have always produced the highest percentage of Dragon Riders of all of the old noble houses. His dragon, Hella, is not a lineage holder, so she has no specific authority over other dragons except possibly her own offspring. If he can control the royal lines of these two countries, and raise children to his way of thinking, he can then present them at hatchings, and the resulting bonded Riders will be under his control.”

  Rita who had been listening intently but remaining quiet while Delno talked with his uncle asked, “But the Northern Kingdoms left the south over two thousand years ago; why would he come here looking to find suitable candidates?”

  Dorian smiled. “Rita, I may not be much of a military man, but there are two things I am quite good with: politics and history.” He looked at Delno and asked, “How many Riders are there now?”

  “About a hundred,” Delno answered.

  “Well, when the Exiled Kings moved north, there were just over two hundred. When the Clan wars started, there were nearly five hundred Riders.”

  Delno and Rita looked at each other in shocked silence.

  Dorian smiled and said, “Yes, five hundred bonded pairs flying about the lands. There wasn’t a time in those days when one didn’t find at least one Rider staying as a royal guest at some noble house. It was a grand time, and there was peace. Then the feuds began to break out all over. The Riders, most of them nobly born, quickly began to take sides. It was house against house on the ground, and dragon against dragon in the sky. The numbers of all began to diminish at an alarming rate. Finally, some of the Riders realized that they needed to rise above their house allegiances, or they would all perish. Your grandfather, Corolan, was chief among them. He convinced the other Riders, or at least some of them, that the fighting had to stop; that the houses would slaughter themselves if it continued. Those Riders who flew with him worked quickly but quietly to help the two most prosperous houses, House Corice and House Bourne, to get the advantage. They had hoped that by having those houses in control, the rest would then fall into line and cease hostilities.” At Delno’s astonished look he responded to his nephew’s unspoken question, “Yes, Corolan actually helped Houses Corice and Bourne gain the upper hand against his own House Palamore. He knew that, at the time, House Palamore wasn’t strong enough to either stand alone or unite the Houses. Since, up to that point, Bourne and Corice were not nearly as antagonistic to each other, he chose them because, not only were they strong enough, but they weren’t actively trying to kill each other. It was a gamble, but if it hadn’t worked, all of the houses would have been destroyed.”

  He paused while Rita and Delno absorbed what he had said before he continued, “The two houses, with the help of the Riders, did gain the upper hand, and things began to settle down. The peace between the House Corice and House Bourne lasted for nearly three decades, though there were skirmishes among some of the other houses. Then, just when it looked as though the hostilities would end, two sons, one from House Corice, and one from House Bourne, were captured, and their minds reworked magically to turn them into traitors against their people. Each one managed to kill the leader and many other key figures of his own house before both of them were stopped. However, even with that threat gone, the two biggest Noble Houses were in complete chaos, and the others renewed hostilities and moved against them.”

  He paused for a moment and sipped some water. “The Riders felt some responsibility for all of this, since they had manipulated the houses into their position of authority, so they decided to try and help in the only way they could. It was through their intervention, and the distraction created by the infighting of the other houses, that the Exiled Kings were able to gather their remaining resources and move north without further loss of life. They found these lands unoccupied except for a few tribes in the mountains. Those people were friendly and showed the first settlers how to survive the harsh winters. Without them, the two houses would have perished. The differing groups quickly settled into two kingdoms, with the mountain people settling into the societies of both. Since House Corice and House Bourne would have nothing to do with magic, the number of bonded pairs declined, in part, due to the loss of the family lines that produced most of the Riders.”

  “Why did they cut themselves off from magic like that?” Rita asked.

  “Because they had been nearly destroyed by magic! They felt that by discouraging magic and teaching the royal families about it so that they could watch for it and guard against it, they could avoid that same thing happening in the future.”

  “Why, then,” Delno asked, “didn’t the two houses unite and form one country, rather than the two we have now?”

  “That is a question that many scholars have asked over the years,” Dorian replied. “I have studied the history extensively, and the only reason that I can think of is simply that neither family wanted to give up any of its own authority for such an alliance. There was enough land that the two families felt they could each make their own way and live in peace. According to what I’ve read, it even worked for the first few centuries.”

  “Then how did it get to the point it is now?” Rita asked.

  “Perhaps, my dear, our houses are just too arrogant to be allowed so much power,” Dorian responded sadly. “At first, the two houses lived in complete peace. The people of Bourne recognized that Corice was the buffer between them and the south, who they still feared. The Bournese even assisted us in keeping our borders free from incursions. Everything we think of as facilitating trade in Corice was originally designed to defend our country from the southerners.”

  Delno opened his mouth to speak, but his uncle waved him to silence, fully engrossed in his role as teacher at this point. “The docks where we receive and send shipments were originally built because this is the northernmost navigable point on the river. First, the docks were built to prevent any craft from landing troops to the north and flanking us. The city of Larimar then grew up to support and protect the docks. The peace lasted for at least three centuries. However, since we were the border country between the north and our old enemies in the south, we were the ones who had contact with the southerners. Eventually we became less interested in keeping the southerners out and more interested in trade with what had become prosperous countries. Our neighbors to the north eventually became upset that they had no caravan routes and no way for trade boats to reach them. It rankled that they had to pay Corisian merchants who marked the products up to make a profit. Eventua
lly, our enemies to the south became our trading partners, while our friends to the north became our enemies. Wars would break out about once a generation and then a new treaty would be signed and the peace would last a few decades before the cycle started again.”

  “It seems to me,” Rita remarked, “that they brought the trouble upon themselves. If they hadn’t been so quick to move farther north to keep you between them and their old enemies, they would have had trade routes available to them. It’s only natural that any goods that reach that far are more expensive when they get there.”

  “My dear,” Dorian said, “that has been pointed out to the rulers of Bourne since they first began to complain. It has also been pointed out that they should send their own merchants and buy the goods directly from the caravans, since no caravans go farther than Larimar. The reply to that was the complaint that it still costs money to move the goods whether they are transported by Corisian merchants or Bournese merchants.”

  “So,” Delno said, “about once every twenty five to fifty years the rulers of Bourne get it into their heads that the best solution is to conquer Corice and take control of the trade.”

  “Exactly,” Dorian replied. “Of course, Torrance seems more determined than any of his ancestors. He continues to remind us in diplomatic messages that our countries would be well on the way to lasting peace if we hadn’t withdrawn our offer of alliance through marriage, and he continually tests our resolve with these incursions. There are treaties in place that prohibit the building of fortresses on the passes and especially at Stone Bridge. Those treaties were signed to prevent the hindrance of trade, but lately they have simply facilitated the attacks on Corice.”

  He stared at his nephew for a few moments and then said, “Since the Bournese have disregarded every treaty they find inconvenient, I intend to disregard the treaty prohibiting fortified garrisons on the border routes. We will put an end to future wars before they get to our gates.”

  Delno was thoughtful for a moment. Then he looked at his great uncle and said, “You could offer the men who surrendered the job of building the fortifications. That way they can earn their keep rather than clutter up the city as political refugees.”

  Dorian looked at Delno as if he had just been inspired. “That could solve both of our problems,” he said suddenly. “You could ask those men to volunteer to go to Horne. I will see to it that any who return are given full citizenship, including voting rights, for service to Corice.”

  Delno and Rita exchanged looks at the suggestion.

  “After all,” Dorian explained, “they are soldiers. They know how to fight. We can give them their weapons, and they will also be helping their own homeland in a roundabout way. I am sure we have surmised the correct answer to who is instigating the problems coming out of Bourne. If that can be stopped, perhaps hostilities can be stopped and normal relations reestablished.”

  “Well,” Delno said, “that would only leave one question unanswered. Why would Warrick come so far north to find allies? Why Bourne?”

  “Nephew,” Dorian responded, “Did you ever study your history?”

  “Some, but I didn’t have too much chance as a carpenter’s son,” Delno replied.

  “Well,” Dorian said, “You should know that the countries we know now are the result of the expansion of the city states that were there before. The city states were named for the Noble Families who controlled them. Corice was one family name, Bourne was another, Palamore was still another, as were Llorn, Horne, Trent and Tyler to name a few. Then some of the Houses who allied themselves with others were absorbed when those larger Houses consolidated their territories into countries and those smaller Houses lent their names to cities such as Orlean, Larimar and Karne. Even when the ruling family no longer bears the name of the country, they are from that line, though interbreeding has comingled the lineages to the point that no one could completely sort it out now.”

  “Well, that makes sense, but still doesn’t explain why Warrick has chosen to find his friends in Bourne,” Delno replied.

  “Delno,” Dorian said smiling, “when you have a chance, you should read the Dragon Lore we have in the library here. Not only do we have much of the ancient history, but we have bought books that contain much of the more recent doings of the world also. Warrick is a second generation Rider. His father was Lance Bourne of the House of Bourne and a very honorable man. Warrick obviously seeks to restore House Bourne to its former place as a ruling House.”

  Chapter 13

  The next day Delno met with the highest ranking officers left among those who had surrendered. They were all still being held at the stockyard inside the city walls. While they were being treated well, they were anxious to find out what their fate would be. They understood quite well that they could no longer go home. If Corice wouldn’t accept them as political refugees, they wanted to begin making their way south.

  “You and your men have been given political refugee status,” Delno informed the Captain from Bourne, “but that is all. You have not been given anything more than the right to try and make your own way as refugees in a foreign country.”

  “I understand,” the Bournese officer replied. “We ask only that we be allowed to go about our way and try to find meaningful employment of some kind. We also understand that we won’t be taken into the Corisian army and asked to fight against our own homeland, which is as we would prefer anyway. Most of our countrymen who now stand against Corice do so as unwilling conscripts.”

  “There may be a way that you can help yourselves, them, and ultimately, your homeland of Bourne, Captain.”

  Delno could see hope spring into the man’s eyes, but he also saw a good bit of skepticism there as well.

  “What are you offering?” the officer asked.

  “A chance to do what you have been trained to do,” Delno replied. “I am leading a group of Dragon Riders against someone in Horne who is not only making a grab for power; he is manipulating your king and his senior officers as well. He was once from the Noble House of Bourne, but his close relatives, and therefore his close ties to Bourne, are long dead. We have come to the belief that he is responsible for instigating not only the current situation, but the last war as well.”

  “If you are asking us to move against our own countryman, as I have already said, we must refuse,” the Captain responded.

  “No,” Delno assured the man, “I am not asking you to take direct action against one your own. The man I speak of is a Dragon Rider who is approximately two thousand years old. He has somehow gotten the beast-men of the south to work together as a cohesive fighting force. You will not even have to work directly against him. Horne, and the Dragon Riders who fly with us, are calling for men and arms to fight the beast-men. Hopefully, once the business in Horne is put to rest, your king will realize that he stands alone and will give up his dream of conquest over Corice. However, even if your king decides to continue the fight, you, and any men with you who live through the war in Horne, will be given citizenship with full voting rights here in Corice, if you choose to accept it.”

  “I have heard rumors of these beast-men. They are fierce fighters and give no quarter, nor do they ask for any. They fight to the death and rarely retreat. What you are asking is nearly as difficult as fighting against your dragons. Many of my men are seasoned veterans and career soldiers, but many more are simply conscripted farmers and tradesmen with no more than basic training. I will ask them all, but I fear you may get fewer men than you would like for this campaign.”

  “I will take any who are willing to march,” replied Delno. “A hundred seasoned veterans to add to the soldiers who have already been sent to assist in this fight would still be better than none. Tell your men that so far no dragon has flown with the enemy forces in this campaign, but we have at least five there now and six more will be joining soon. The call is out for more and we hope that our dragons will number several times that of those the enemy commands. Also, I have a few surprises still in
store for our enemies. However, you should know that even though we will be trying to support them from the air, the time may come when your men will have to face an enemy dragon, but by that time we will have taught them how to at least defend themselves better from such attacks.”

  “You don’t paint a cheery picture of victory, Rider,” the officer responded.

  “I won’t lie to you or your men, Captain; this is not to be an easily won campaign. The stakes are high for those who go. That’s why the prize is so great. Corice doesn’t bestow the right to participate in politics to soldiers who are citizen volunteers until they have completed their eighth year of service, or have distinguished themselves with such deeds that their bravery and loyalty can be questioned by none. You are being offered that right for one campaign; we believe the prize fits the deed.”

  Delno let his words hang in the air for a moment and then said, “Speak with your men, Captain. Tell them about the campaign and paint them a realistic picture. Those who go will be accepted as citizens if and when they return. For those who do not go, nothing will change. They will still be political refugees and will have to make their way as best they can. I will return for your answer after I have seen your former commander and his staff safely across Stone Bridge.”

  “The men of Bourne know the name Delno Okonan. Even though you stood against us in the last war, we all know you to be a good soldier and an honorable man. You haven’t tried to lure us to Horne with rosy pictures of easy victory. You deal with us honestly and we appreciate that. I will talk with the men and have an answer for you soon.”

  The officer saluted Delno and Delno returned the salute before walking away from the holding area.

  Later, astride Geneva at Stone Bridge, Delno could see that a force of Bournese soldiers was camped just out of bow range on their own side of the chasm. A large force of Corisians was similarly camped on the southern side. The soldiers of Bourne started to approach the bridge, but Geneva sent forth a great burst of fire that reached nearly half-way across the span and they stopped their advance. Fahwn and Beth circled lazily above the spectacle but were ready to join in if a battle erupted.