“Thank you, General,” Amelia said. She could feel the tension between the two men as it had been there since they first met. “How are the preparations coming for the celebration?”
“Excellent. My men are working on installing the sconces as we speak. On either side of every window and along every balcony as you had asked for. It will be completed by the end of the day.”
“Very good. Thank you again, General.”
Hamza bowed slightly at the waist and turned to return the way he came. As he walked by, Jaime threw out his foot and sent the big man tumbling into the dirt. Hamza was on his feet in an instant and lunged at Jaime who was howling in laughter. Hamza grabbed Jaime by the shirt and pulled his fist back to strike. Jaime threw his hands up to defend himself but he was laughing so hard that he could never deflect the powerful punches that were about to come his way.
“General.” Amelia’s voice was stern. Hamza cast an angry look her way and as he saw her face he came back to himself and realized what he was doing. He dropped his fist, and Jaime then gathered his composure and brushed the dirt from his tunic and leggings. Without another word, he bowed again to Amelia, who returned his gesture with a nod and walked quickly to the tower door from which he came.
Jaime watched until Hamza had shut the door behind him with a resounding bang. He then pulled himself up from the ground and turned to face Amelia, a mischievous grin on his face which soon left when he met Amelia’s hard stare.
“You are a child,” Amelia said with a smirk. Seeing Oshri pouting, she said, “You both are. I am going to the growing house to find an adult to talk to.”
…
“This is amazing,” Amelia said as she walked through the doorway of the former warehouse.
Adina was standing at a large workbench, busy transplanting a large fern bush into a bigger pot. She looked up and smiled as the group walked in.
“Oh hello,” she smiled. “It is about time I had some visitors down here. I have been very excited to show off our work.”
“You and Rosalie have done an excellent job,” remarked Amelia as she looked around at all the foliage in the growing house.
“To be honest, Rosalie has done most the work. She has quite the green thumb. When she is not helping me in the infirmary she has been working in here. A lot of this was her idea.”
“Everything but that,” Oshri said, pointing at the trough-like structure that ran along the entire length of the ceiling.
“Yes. That is what I am particularly proud of,” Amelia said with a smile.
“What is it?” Jaime asked.
“Some leader you are.” Oshri laughed. “It was your men that built it.”
Jaime turned and glared at the old man, who was beaming.
“It provides the heat and light, does it not?” said Amelia.
“That is exactly right,” said Adina, turning to look at Jaime, but not before giving the old wizard a harsh glare. “I call it a ‘burner’ for lack of a better term. I designed it myself. It is magically powered by vividus crystals.”
“What are those?” asked Jaime, trying not to make eye contact with Oshri, who was trying to contain his amusement of Jaime’s ignorance.
“Vividus crystals are small purple stones that are generally used as a decoration. They can absorb small amounts of magical energy and expel it as light and heat. For most of the world, they are difficult to obtain. Most people would only ever see one attached to the end of a mage’s staff as a survival tool.”
“You said ‘for most of the world?” asked Jaime.
“Yes. The only known source is here on Seron. Miners discovered it in the mountains to the west of the Valley of Tears. They found a rich vein and as they dug down they came upon these pebbles that looked like drops of glass. For centuries, they were considered spoil and left in heaps and mounds. At some point, an unknown magic user discovered the magical properties of the stones. Their true power has never been utilized until now.”
“How does it work?”
“Well, like I said the crystals absorb small amounts of magical energy, usually from a spell cast upon them, and generate a natural light as well as heat. The amazing thing about these stones it that they can absorb the energy from the stone next to it.”
“So, that trough is filled with these stones?” said Jaime.
Adina nodded.
“So, you cast a spell on them and they heat the growing house.”
“Exactly.” Adina beamed.
“How long does it last?”
“I am not quite sure yet. The shipment arrived only a fortnight ago so I am still testing it.”
“I remember seeing the wagon train.” Jaime interrupted but a sharp glare from Amelia cut short anything he had planned to follow up with.
Adina continued, “Yes, well, the length of time they stay active does not seem to depend on how powerful the spell is. With Oshri’s help”—Adina gave the old man a nod—“I have tried a variety of spells of varying power levels. Even the most facile illumination spell provides the same duration as a powerful magical attack spell. In both cases, the stones stayed active for the better part of the day. The batch that is in there now is the same batch that we had originally put in. It lasts about two hours less than when we started. So, by that estimate, the supply we have obtained will last for at least half a year.”
“Is it easy to obtain more?” Amelia asked.
“Yes. The mine ran dry many years ago, the land thought to be useless so the king gave the small, abandoned village to the church. The town became a monastery where they send those touched by leprosy to live out their days. Some of the monks gather the crystals for trade throughout the world but they limit the supply to raise the value. In the marketplace, one small crystal could cost as much as three gold coins.”
Jaime’s jaw dropped. “And we have how much?” he exclaimed. “We could just buy the plants we need instead of wasting time growing them.”
Amelia nodded. “Yes, we could but then that does not help us if we are put under siege. The whole point of everything we are doing is that, were we attacked, we can survive, no matter how long we are stuck in here for.”
“Oh yes.” Oshri began hopping around. “There are bad people coming.”
After two years, they were all familiar with the old man’s fits of lunacy. After his initial outburst, they just turned back to the conversation.
“So, not only do we have a dragon but now you are telling me we have a horde of treasure?” Jaime began to laugh. “It is like a children’s story.”
Amelia and Adina both began to chuckle.
“I suppose it is,” Amelia remarked. She then turned to look at Adina. “You never did tell me how you obtained so much.”
“I know one of the monks. We have arranged a barter. We will provide what medical supplies we can afford and they will provision us with the crystals we need to grow them.”
“We have enough that we can afford to pay them?”
“We don’t have much of a choice. The land around here is unsuitable for many of the plants that we need. Look around. All these would die within days if we planted them outside. In here, though, they are thriving quite nicely.”
“Very good,” said Amelia. “I look forward to hearing more of your progress in the weeks to come.”
Adina nodded. “I will keep you informed.”
Amelia brow suddenly furrowed when a thought came to her.
“Where are we storing this crystal?” she asked.
Jaime immediately perked up and leaned in to hear the answer. Amelia shot him a disapproving look from which he physically recoiled.
“It is in the new storerooms that were dug into the tower. Better place to keep it safe than here,” said Adina.
“Agreed.” Amelia nodded. “I will have Sir Hamza build a locked area and set a guard. We can’t be too careful if we are planning to rely on this to survive. We should have guards posted here as well. The Knights will have plenty of extra time once the
celebrations have concluded.”
“That would be very helpful. We could use a few extra hands around here as well.”
“I volunteer to guard the crystals,” Jaime said.
Everyone but Jaime had a good laugh as they each went about their business.
“I don’t get what’s so funny,” he said, pouting.
9
“The tower looks magnificent,” Isabella exclaimed.
“It really does,” said Sisera.
The two were flying toward the fortress from the east, returning from a training session just beyond the mountain range. Even from a distance they could see the tower, illuminated with specially made torches.
“The celebration tonight will be so much fun! Mother says there will be music and dancing. The villagers are planning to have a big bonfire in the village square.”
“It will be nothing compared to the show we will put on,” said Sisera as she banked to avoid the tops of some ancient trees.
“They will have seen nothing like it,” Isabella agreed.
They flew the rest of the way in silence. Isabella thought about the reaction they would get from the show of power her and Sisera had been practicing. It was rare that the people of the village got to witness the true power of the duo.
The villagers could enter the gates of the Tower to gain access to the infirmary and other stations contained within the wall but only a handful of laborers could gain admittance into the main stronghold. No outsiders were permitted into the upper levels of the Tower where Isabella did most of her magical training. When she was not training in the Tower then her and Sisera would travel east to unpopulated areas so they would not accidentally harm any innocent people. The most anyone saw of them together was flying overhead.
A council, led by Amelia, had convened and it was decided that Sisera should limit her involvement with the community to allow them to adjust to the idea that the dragons had returned.
For Isabella, this was a lonely, sheltered existence, but she understood that it was for the best. She spent most of her time training with her different teachers and helping around the Tower wherever she could.
Within a few moments, they approached the Tower and they could see the villagers and soldiers working together to set up tents and tables.
Sisera flew to the top of the tower and landed on the open space in front of her massive cave. Isabella hopped from her back and, without another word, headed into the tower, leaving the dragon to take an afternoon nap.
She entered her quarters and removed her heavy, dusty gear, tossing it onto a thin armor tree. She washed her face in a basin of fresh water left for her by the housekeepers. Just then there was a knock on the door.
“Come in,” she shouted and continued to freshen up in the basin.
Raven entered the room and shut the door behind her.
“Hi Raven,” Isabella said. “Are you all ready for tonight?”
“Just about.” The warrior woman said as she made herself comfortable on a low couch in the sitting area. “The men are just finishing the rest of the preparations. Are you ready for tonight?”
Isabella nodded. “We were practicing all morning.”
“I look forward to seeing whatever you have planned. Sounds like it will be quite the spectacle.”
“Oh yes,” said Isabell with a wide grin. “So, what brings you up here? Just checking on me?”
“No, I have something I would like to talk to you about,” Raven said, her voice dropping to a nervous whisper.
Isabella wiped her face and hands with a towel. She sat on the couch next to Raven.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Nothing is wrong.” Raven laughed, unable to mask her nervousness. “Something happened to me today and I don’t know who to talk to about it.”
“What happened?” asked Isabella, leaning in out of curiosity.
“I was working in the Tower, getting all the last-minute preparations completed when I ran over one of the stone diggers with a pushcart.”
“You hit a man with a pushcart? What’s the big deal? Did you kill him?” asked Isabella, suddenly worried.
“No, he’s fine.” Raven laughed nervously, shaking her head. “He is a very charming man.”
“So, what happened?”
“He asked if I would accompany him to the celebrations tonight.”
“Oh,” said Isabella, slowly realizing what Raven was trying to tell her. “You have a date?”
“I guess so. I’ve never had one so I don’t really know.”
“I don’t think that I am the best person to give advice on such matters,” Isabella said, trying to hide the jealousy in her voice.
“Oh, I’m not here to ask you advice,” Raven said, sheepishly. “Jaers, that is his name, has a son who works with him on the mining crew. His name is Makal and he is a year older than you.”
Isabella was still confused. She could not discern Raven’s purpose.
Raven smiled and continued. “Jaers thought it might be nice if his son had a companion for the evening as well.”
“You mean me?” Isabella asked as a sudden rush of excitement came over her.
“If you don’t want to, I would completely understand,” Raven said.
“Yes. Yes, I want to.” Isabella could not contain her elation. She leaped up from the couch and began jumping around.
Suddenly Sisera appeared in the window, a look of concern on her face.
“What’s happening?” she asked sleepily.
“Oh, Sisera. Tonight, is going to be the best night ever,” she exclaimed, jumping around excitedly.
Sisera looked at Raven, who smiled sheepishly.
“Thank you,” said the dragon before returning to her cave to finish her nap.
“Raven, you are just the best,” Isabella said, wrapping her arms around Raven, as best she could, considering the size of her life long protector.
“Well, Chipmunk, I figured you could use a change,” Raven said with a wink.
“What am I going to wear?” said Isabella, suddenly in a panic.
Isabella and Sisera dived and rolled through the air, high above the tables that had been set up in the village square for the celebration. The entire village was excited because no one there had ever witnessed anything like it. All eyes were glued to the aerial display. The crowd cheered whenever Isabella threw a fireball towards the heavens. They went crazy when the fireballs exploded into a burst of random color, a trick that Oshri had taught her and she worked hard to master.
“They are loving it,” Isabella said, laughing and moving her body in tandem with Sisera’s.
“What are we going to show them next?” The dragon grinned, enjoying all the attention they were getting.
“I think we are running out of tricks,” said Isabella.
“We need a big finish,” said Sisera.
“How about that trick we practiced in the mountains?”
“I’m not sure they would appreciate that.” The dragon laughed.
“Let’s do it. Let’s make it a night to remember.”
“Well okay,” said Sisera. “But we have to be careful. We haven’t practiced this one as much as all the rest.”
Sisera pulled back her wings and they climbed high into the sky. When they reached the right height Sisera turned her head down and tucked in her wings. They dove straight toward the ground toward the party-goers below. They could see the crowd suddenly filled with fear as they were unsure if they were going to get hit by the beast.
“Now,” Isabella shouted.
Sisera spread her wings and they quickly changed direction to fly overtop of the terrified crowd. The people recovered from their fright and cheered loudly at the spectacle. Sisera flew quickly over the group, then changed directions again to climb quickly into the sky. Isabella threw a barrage of fireballs into the sky which exploded into bursts of purple and gold that shone brightly against the fading backdrop.
“I bet a least two of them mad
e a mess of their pants.” Isabella laughed.
“Your mother is not going to be pleased with us,” said Sisera.
“I know. I will deal with her when the time comes,” said Isabella. “A problem for tomorrow.”
They landed on the top of the Tower. Isabella leaped from Sisera’s back and loosened the straps that held her saddle in place.
“I’m going fishing,” said Sisera. “You don’t need me anymore today. Are you going to find your boy?”
Isabella’s face flushed. “No,” she said. “I’m going to find Raven.”
“Okay,” said Sisera, knowingly. “Have fun.”
Sisera pumped her wings and flew off over the mountains, into the night.
Isabella watched her friend until the dragon was out of sight. Her heart began to race faster than when she was flying on the back of the beast just moments earlier.
She quickly washed up and changed into the clothes she had put aside to wear for the party. Her mother had put in a special request to one of the wives from the village. The woman worked making uniforms for the Daxrah and the Knights of the Tower. She was a talented seamstress so Amelia went to her and requested a special dress made for Isabella, a request that the woman was more than happy to fulfil.
Isabella looked at herself in the mirror after she had dressed. She thought back to all the times that she had dressed like this at the castle in Prozia. It seemed like a thousand years ago.
With practiced ease, she threw up her hair and tied it into a tight ponytail behind her head. She checked the mirror and immediately pulled out the tie and let her hair fall over her shoulders.
“You look beautiful,” said Raven, peeking her head into the room.
“Thank you.” Isabella fussed with her hair for a few moments more before turning to face her friend. Her jaw dropped.
Sisera's Gift 2: Sacred Blood Page 5