“Jonathan don't believe in dragons Your Grace,” Red said.
“Well he should start,” Duke Golad said. “The Downey has started withdrawing their troops off the border. Apparently they have two rogue Dragonknights menacing their border towns and don't want to be blamed if they cause havoc here in Kirby. Three hundred gold coins a piece is what the Downey are offering anyone regardless of what Kingdom they call home.”
“Well that doesn't sound at all suspicious,” Red said.
“Sounds like they want to test their dragons against us without taking any of the blame,” Duke Golad said. “The Royal family plans on going there as well. I think it will do you young people some good to maybe see first hand what the Downey are all about.”
“Could you imagine seeing one of those things?” Jonathan said. “I think if dragons were real that they would be nice to look at but I am not scared of one. There are other dangerous animals out there but if a mage can see them coming they would be in for a world of hurt.”
“I still would like to have one,” Red said. “I barely learned how to fly and even then I am not very good at it. I only know a few commoners that have any skill flying. Just imagine me on a flying dragon, I could get all over the Kingdom without too much trouble.”
“I would just like to see one,” Duke Golad said. “Ever since I was a young man I have heard rumors of great flying beasts from the Elderen. That is the name of the Kingdom that used to border us, well before they were swept up by the Downey. I would like to visit Downey just to see for myself but they take their security strongly. It is easy to get into Downey, not so easy to get out.”
“I just want everything to be over Your Grace,” Einar said. “I want to come back to the mountain and be no one again. I want to help raise goats and fish in the streams and pick tubers. No offense to you to Your Grace, you are great people but I am just a boy from the mountain. I shouldn't be here drinking your mead, I should be out there plotting with the rest of my friends on how to impress a girl.”
“I know it is tough son,” Duke Golad said. “But in ten years you will thank me for taking you out of there. You still have to worry about impressing girls as a mage, it is just not that difficult away from the mountain. I bet the both of you have already figured that out.”
“We have?” Calder said.
“You are big burly lads and most of the men in the Kingdom are not,” Duke Golad said. “I am sure the girls flirt with the both of you all the time, at least when no one else is looking. They either do that or are incredibly mean so you will not talk to them. Trust me when I say there is an attraction. But enough of that, I have big tankards and we have a lot of things to drink. I just had a goat slaughtered and it should just about be done.”
Jonathan had to admit he had a decent time drinking and eating well into the night and early morning. Duke Golad was a good host and told raunchy stories about when he was younger. The man had fought, stolen and basically caused a ruckus. He had two older brothers, one died from some disease and the other had been killed due to an avalanche. Duke Golad had the worst magic out of his brothers but thought that made him a better ruler. He was used to being talked down to and did what he could to make life easier in the duchy. Other lords had a greater number of rich citizens but Duke Golad had the least amount of poor people. He was supposed to marry another woman, Queen Mildred’s little sister who eventually ran off with another man. Jonathan wondered how he and the Duchess ever met, she seemed like a horrid woman and he was so easy going. The rest of the night passed easily, it was in the morning when Jonathan was brought down to reality.
~
“I don't want any of you telling your commoner friends that you were invited here,” Duchess Golad said over breakfast. “I do not want to be overwhelmed by the lesser born. Am I making myself clear?”
“If having me is such an inconvenience I can leave Your Grace,” Jonathan said as he went to stand.
“You are barely passable because of your talent,” Duchess Golad said. “I am talking about mundanes. Are you all ready for tonight? You are going to get the chance to meet influential people in my duchy. You though Thunder are going to have to do something about your hair.”
“My hair?” Jonathan asked. “I like my hair the way it is.”
“Nonsense,” Duchess Golad said. “Some of my friends and other important nobles will be here. As my guest you have to uphold my reputation, you all do. My personal servants will see to your appearance.”
“You are excited about this?” Russell asked. “I have not seen you so worked up before mother.”
“The Manchins are making the trip down,” Duchess Golad said. “And so is Kevin Wilson. I am going to end whatever feud you all have going on.”
“I want the man dead,” Jonathan said. “No way to change my mind on that, no matter who is asking.”
“Nonsense,” Duchess Golad said. “The man has served the Kingdom proudly for decades and helped put down the Raelinians. You will end this.”
“He threw a fit and got my parents killed,” Jonathan said. “I am not ending anything Your Grace. There is nothing that can be done to patch things up between us. Did you know I had to put my parents down as one of the undead? That memory stays with me. I can exist with the man in the same space as mine but that is it. He is a coward and I have no time for cowards.”
“Neither do I!” Duke Golad said. “I never liked the man.”
“He doesn't owe you any apology,” Duchess Golad said. “He was just doing his job. But if it is so important to you he can give you one.”
“Pretty words will not solve anything,” Jonathan said. “I want him in the arena. I have been practicing non stop on my fighting and I think I can end it quickly. The only thing I can guarantee is if he does not resist too much that I can make his death a quick one.”
“Can we please change the subject,” Baron Nettleton asked. “This is dreadful conversation. The real enemy are the Downey, at least they were. I am having my personal painter and sculptor travel with us to give them a chance to see a dragon.”
“I want to do combat with a dragon,” Russell said. “There are not many opponents that can test my true mettle. I am unsure if a dragon is one of them but I do want to find out.”
“You want to be a dragon slayer?” Baron Nettleton asked. “If that ever happens I will buy the carcass off you.”
“If that ever happens I want that trophy for myself!” Duke Golad laughed. “I am not the one who stuffs and mounts my kills but I would mount the kills of my son and daughter if it was that spectacular.”
“Is the King really going to be there?” Chloe asked. “On the border I mean Your Graces?”
“Jeffrey will be there,” Duke Golad said. “But he is no King, not anymore. It is a sore subject at this table and not worth getting into. Just don't make the mistake of calling him Your Majesty around Her Majesty and you will be fine.”
“I think it makes no sense to call him Your Highness when he has been our King for so long,” Chloe said. “But I will not make the mistake.”
“This girl has to be one of the smartest around this table,” Duchess Golad said. “Too bad you are of such low birth and have so little power or I would have tried to make a match with my nephew.”
“With Dag?” Duke Golad laughed. “That lad thinks he is a much bigger deal than he actually is. Trust me girlie when I say the package looks nice but there is no present inside of it.”
“Dag is a fine man of the mountain,” Duchess Golad said. “He carries himself better than our own children at times.”
“Any man who doesn't drink and fight is not a man of the mountain,” Duke Golad said. “He doesn't know his way around a brawl without using magic. I am just glad I taught my boy to throw hands, never know when some lad needs punched in the face.”
“I think Jonathan agrees that Russell can throw hands with best of them,” Red said laughing.
Jonathan’s face went bright red at the comment. Last
year Russell was angry that Jonathan had beaten Gerald Morningstar to a pulp. Jonathan was angry that Russell watched commoners get tortured by Morningstar and now suddenly had a conscious. Russell had threatened to pummel Jonathan and in return Jonathan told Russell he intended to lay his sister down. Jonathan never saw the punch that knocked him unconscious. Red praised Jonathan for having the stones to say something like that to a man much bigger, much stronger and who had greater magic.
“Ha!” Duke Golad said in a loud laugh then looked at Jonathan. “Bet you won't do that shit again boy!”
“You bet that he will not do what?” Duchess Golad asked.
“It ain't nothing Daisy,” Duke Golad said. “Just a chuckle between the lads. I have been accused of being an uncultured brute before but even I know this isn't the place to bring up a fight that happened last year. That does remind me though about that girly boy I don't like.”
“Gerald Morningstar?” Russell asked.
“There is nothing wrong with that boy that a good woman could not fix,” Duchess Golad said. “He holds himself to the highest standard of mages everywhere and was one of the first people to volunteer to fight the Raelinians despite having difficulties with Jonathan. That is what all mages of the Kingdom should inspire to be. I know Russell and the commoner also has had their difficulties but Russell is so generous that he has the commoner eating breakfast with him.”
“I am in the room Your Grace,” Jonathan said.
“Gerald Morningstar, that is the one,” Duke Golad said. “I heard he had a run in with some commoner mage right before the Tower let in. Whatever the insult was, it was so great that both parties agreed to fight in the arena and it was signed off on. From what I heard he tortured that poor man, something awful. Second youngest person to kill his opponent in the arena and I hear he has another fight lined up.”
“You leave Morningstar alone,” Jonathan said looking down the table at Red and Emmet. “I don't like him either and he knows that. I have seen him do horrible things to people all in the name of furthering his education as some kind of torturer.”
“I am not that dumb,” Red said showing off the base of his neck. “I have gotten better but so has he. He is stronger and faster with his magic than I am. That doesn't mean I haven't come up with different scenarios on how to best him if we ever fought again.”
“Anyone that needs to torture someone instead of taking an easy win is no man in my book,” Duke Golad said.
“This Kingdom needs people like him whether or not you find his methods distasteful,” Duchess Golad said. “I just wish he was coming to our get togethers, I am sure he would find something here he would like.”
“I am happy I have finished my search,” Baron Nettleton said looking at Farrah. “You all have no idea how much pressure I have been under from aunts, uncles, even the Queen made it her business. Now that I have found Farrah, things are much easier for me. Eventually we can get married and spend our time ruling the Nettles.”
“Ruling the Nettles Milord?” Red said as he elbowed Jonathan underneath the table. “You know there are people who think Lady Farrah will be the next Archmage.”
“Oh that will not do,” Baron Nettleton said. “I am a Baron, I want a wife that is going to be with me. While I support the Kingdom, my first responsibility has to be to the Nettles.”
“I agree with that as well,” Red said smiling. “I think whoever takes on the responsibility of Tower Mage or Archmage needs to be dedicated. A Duke or Baron should look after their own people first.”
“What do you mean by that will not do?” Farrah asked as she looked at Baron Nettleton. “I am one of the strongest mages in our Kingdom, you expect me to stay home and serve you?”
“Of course not Farrah,” Baron Nettleton replied. “But you will be a Baroness, I can't do everything myself. The people of the Nettles deserves a strong ruler, even this commoner sees the wisdom in that.”
“That commoner is trying to look out for his friend who has some ill conceived dream of being Archmage,” Farrah said as Jonathan noticed she was getting angry.
“A commoner Archmage?” Duchess Golad laughed. “Who has heard of such a thing? Who would follow such a person. I know you had some success in your little skirmish with the Raelinians but you almost got the Crown Prince killed.”
“I think if he wants it bad enough then he should go for it,” Baron Nettleton said. “My magic has always been as poor as the weakest commoner mage, none of my parents had the gift. I have never bothered with mage business, it just doesn't concern me. I don't care who the Archmage, Tower Mage or whatever that new rank is.”
“Mage Commander,” Duchess Golad said. “Our Archmage is an old man with average magic. He is just a pet of the Queen and my children like him well enough. He doesn't know the finer points of battle so Mage Commander was created to lead mages against our enemies. I think the position was a good idea, only the strongest mages can apply for the position and even then it is only if they have experience fighting the enemy. Whoever becomes Mage Commander is going to be locked into the position for the duration of their service to the Kingdom.”
“That sounds like the kind of job I will avoid,” Jonathan said.
“And why is that?” Duchess Golad asked. “You were already the first commoner to lead mages against an enemy although it was only yourself and whoever volunteered to fight alongside you. I was very impressed that commoner mages finally saw it as their duty to help protect the Kingdom until the real power could show up. A position like that seems tailored for you.”
“I will save that position for someone more worthy,” Jonathan replied.
“Honestly I don't even know why we are having this conversation,” Duchess Golad said. “You may be the first commoner born mage to achieve something big. But I am certain the Queen will grant you nobility just like she did every other mage who married correctly. You should follow your red haired friend’s lead on how to find a decent woman.”
“I think Red chose wonderfully myself if it lasts,” Jonathan said. “Poppy is a catch any man should be proud of. I hope it lasts and hope any future children look more like her instead of him.”
“Ha!” Duke Golad laughed again. “Feel that burn boy. Backhanded insults like that can only be given by true friends and it seems you lads are just that.”
“Him?” Red said laughing. “He is the only person in the Kingdom that can’t make fun of me for having red hair. Just look at that mop on top of his head.”
“I am not his best friend, I am his only friend,” Jonathan replied.
“You’re a bit more than that,” Red said. “And when it goes down you can always bet on me being there.”
“You need friends like that Russell,” Duke Golad said. “And I ain't talking about Xalen. You are going to follow that one straight to your grave one day. You mark my words, he is going to get you spun up in something you should avoid and then it will happen.”
“Don't say that!” Duchess Golad snapped. “Xalen is exactly the type of person you should listen to. He is going to be King one day and he will never forget his friends. Who knows, one day you could be Tower Mage or even Archmage and still run the Duchy. You just have to marry correctly and find yourself a real noble woman. Forget about trying to find the most powerful girl around and find someone who can help you lead the Duchy when your father and I are no longer here.”
“You could always get lucky like I did,” Baron Nettleton said. “Brains, beauty and power. Many men would be cowed and too proud to find a woman that could best them. I am considering myself lucky.”
“Such sweet words,” Farrah said as she grabbed the Baron’s hands.
“There will be none of that here at my table,” Duke Golad bellowed. “Can't you have the decency to sneak off into some corner or broom closet like proper courting folks?”
The rest of breakfast went by well enough Jonathan thought. Afterwards a group of people, three men and a woman came by to get him ready. Jonathan r
efused to let them bathe him but did let them do the rest of it. The scraggly facial hair he had been growing was shaven clean, they used some type of torture device Jonathan thought to thin out and shape his eyebrows. They cleaned his teeth perfectly and then told Jonathan that this was only practice for later on that night. Apparently Jonathan had to stop eating and drinking after a certain time so he wouldn't have to answer any calls of nature during the meal and was told certain foods were off limits. His hair was naturally dark, the group of people dyed the places on his scalp that hair was missing the same color then slicked his hair back with some compound that made it stiff. A robe was specially made for him, the man who took his measurements returned after only a few hours to fit and resize it. Once it was all over Jonathan wondered how the nobles put up with it if this is what they did before every social engagement. When guests finally started arriving Jonathan was able to walk out into what he guessed was what Duke Golad called Daisy’s room. It was as opulent as he thought but to him it was almost like he was in a bad dream or a crazy play. Almost everyone in the room had hair so fair the light seemed to radiate from it. Everyone looked related Jonathan thought, he found it difficult to tell individual features apart at first glance. The women were far larger than most women in the rest of the Kingdom and the men were bigger still. Jonathan was used to being one of the tallest people in the room, here almost every man was at eye level. Jonathan wondered what Emmet and Red thought about being in the room.
“Does this remind you of a play right before some idiot too stupid to run takes a dirt nap?” Red whispered in Jonathan’s ear. “Good luck to you, I was wondering if me and Poppy were just having a fling but now I am certain if this is what is waiting for me I am going to stay put.”
“It is not so bad,” Jonathan said. “I just have never seen this many straw hairs before.”
The Queen's Champion Page 11