by K. J. Nessly
Elyon smiled. “The Dikaios are not restricted by the boundaries others create,” he informed the young Guardian.
David stared at him. “I do not understand. What are you saying?”
“My people do not reside in one place, they wander and live wherever they choose.”
So not a warrior culture then… Abruptly David’s mind made a connection and he fought the urge to stiffen, raise his sword, and run the man through. They wander and live where they choose. Wanderers. Outcasts. “Sounds like an ineffective way to rule a kingdom.”
“There are many kingdoms throughout this realm and across the great waters. The Dikaios are the greatest of them all.”
“How can a kingdom be great when its people are scattered and the king cannot call upon them to defend it?” Thank the stars. Whether or not the legend of the Great War with the Wanderers is true, the last thing this kingdom needs is a war.
“Because the people call upon their King to defend them,” his companion replied calmly.
David frowned. “That is not the way it is supposed to be.”
“Maybe not in Archaea,” Elyon said mildly. “But it is so with the Dikaios, and it is why they are the greatest.”
Every kingdom that has ever existed has claimed to be the best,” David returned.
“And yet they all end.”
“All things come to an end,” David argued.
“Really? Does love ever truly end?”
“It ends with death.”
Elyon studied David for a few minutes longer. “Perhaps it does. But who is it that brings death? Kings and their wars for power and prestige claim more deaths than any sickness.”
David was becoming frustrated. “Your point?”
“With war comes destruction and with destruction comes death. Every leader must define himself in some way and most choose to do it through the number of lives they’ve taken. But you do not.”
“I take no pleasure in killing.”
“Yet it is your job.”
“Killing is only part of my job,” David corrected. “And only when necessary.”
“So you claim. Yet you were prepared to take this castle by force, which would have resulted in much greater bloodshed, had Kathryn not shown you a different way.”
Warning bells went off in David’s head. How could Elyon know that Kathryn had opened the front gates for us via Lea? “Only if there had been no other way and besides Kathryn is different. She’s family.”
“Could not many kings throughout history claim the same? How often did they use the murder of a family member as an excuse to go to war?”
David didn’t want to think about it. “What’s the point of all this?”
“There will come a time in the future when you must decide whether supporting your family is worth the destruction that would follow.”
“The Dragons have pledged themselves to my leadership and I to their guidance and wellbeing. If one of us goes astray, it is because we all have.”
“It is not the Dragons of whom I speak.”
David was rendered utterly speechless. How could this Elyon possibly know who he truly was? He settled with asking. “What is your true design in being here?”
For a moment it seemed like the older man would continue on with his subject of war and family but finally Elyon nodded to where Kathryn lay. “I promised her I would never abandon her if she had faith in me.”
“What has that got to do with anything?”
“She called out to me several times and I have come to help her. But more importantly, because I am her Guardian-Father.”
“Her what?”
“Kathryn knew me as an infant. Her parents are of the Dikaios. So is she, if she so chooses. Until she rejects me, I am her Guardian-Father.”
David’s head spun, trying to understand what Elyon was saying. “Are you saying that Kathryn is Dikaios?” Could this be the key to Kathryn’s origins? Stars above, could Kathryn truly be a descendant of the Wanderers? Was that why the Council kept such a close eye on her and her abilities?
“If she so chooses.”
“If she chooses? One does not choose one’s people.”
“I am giving her that choice. She can be Dikaios or she can be of your people. I offer you the same choice, David.”
The Guardian jerked in surprise. “You would ask me to betray my King and his people?” he asked angry disbelief. “You do not know me, or Kathryn, if you think that our loyalties are so easily swayed.” And if you think that I will throw aside everything I have ever worked for to become an Outcast you are gravely mistaken.
Elyon smiled. “It is because I know that your loyalty is absolute that I offer you the choice.”
“That makes no sense.”
“As a Guardian, the people and the King both call upon you to fight their battles for them. Who can you call upon when you’re overwhelmed?”
“My family, the King, and the people,” David replied immediately. “The protection offered by the Guardians is reciprocated by the people to the Guardians.”
“Then why did you not call upon the King or the people for this mission?”
“There wasn’t time to get a message to the King.” David wasn’t entirely sure why he was defending his mission choices to a stranger, but after working for a year to earn the respect of the Dragons as their leader, he wasn’t about to let this foreigner destroy the confidence he’d built up.
“And the people? Surely they would have helped if the Guardians had asked.”
Truth be told, David didn’t believe that the people would help a Guardian unless it helped them in some way. But that wasn’t the main reason he hadn’t included them in this fight. “The people are not fighters, if I had involved them in the battle, blood would have been spilt on both sides instead of just one.”
Elyon nodded sagely. “So again I ask: who do you rely on when you are overwhelmed?”
“We are trained to face overwhelming odds,” David said after a few moments of silence.
“Ah, yes,” Elyon said sarcastically. “The famous Guardian notion of ‘my sacrifice will preserve others’.”
David let his tone cool. “Sacrifice has always been a part of service. No matter who it is to.”
“True,” Elyon agreed. “Great sacrifices and absolute loyalty are required from those I protect and guide. But in return I give them my sacrifice and my loyalty. I do not see that here.”
“It is the King’s way of showing his loyalty and sacrifice to his people. It always has been.”
“Your Kings are brave indeed to risk the lives of other men and women to prove their loyalty to their people.”
“Do you simply enjoy arguing philosophies or is there a reason you’re here?” David asked irritably.
“I already told you my purpose, David,” Elyon said softly, admonishment in his tone. “I came to help Kathryn.”
“You’re too late,” David said firmly. “She doesn’t need your help.”
Elyon looked at him steadily. “Am I too late, David?”
“Yes, we already defeated Lord Tanner.”
“Then why are you not at home celebrating your victory?”
David glared at him. “Kathryn was badly injured, but you already know that.”
Again Elyon nodded. “Yes I know.” He paused and then asked, “Did she tell you about our meeting those few weeks ago?”
“A little.”
“Did she tell you that I had healed her?”
David hesitated. “Yes.”
“If you will allow me, I can do it again.”
David looked back to where his second-in-command lay still. He would do anything to preserve his family and he suspected that Elyon knew it. “Fine, help her if you can,” he said roughly. “But if you do anything suspicious, I will kill you.”
Elyon looked into David’s eyes and the young commander found himself unspeakably unsettled by his gaze. Fires suddenly burned in the man’s eyes and they flashed like lightning.
Faint thunder rolled through the room and David swore that the floor shook. Suddenly overwhelmed with a dread that paralyzed, realization hit David. Elyon may or may not have been a king, may or not may not be an Outcast or a Wanderer, but he was definitely a sorcerer. An extremely powerful sorcerer. He possessed secrets of enormous power long thought lost. Magic that went beyond the gifts of the Guardians and into another realm entirely.
In other words, he was not a man to cross.
Finally, Elyon nodded and moved to the bed. Gently he put his hand on Kathryn’s forehead for a few moments and as his hand lay there her breathing evened out and became less labored. When Elyon took his hand away she was breathing normally. “She will live,” Elyon stated quietly as he moved away.
“There are many healers, many of whom are extraordinarily gifted. Yet I know of none who could heal with a simple touch,” David commented warily.
“Scrolls of knowledge have been lost over the eons,” Elyon said easily. “Still, you are correct. There are very few known to have such an ability. If you were to become a Dikaios, become one of my protected, the lost knowledge would be made available to you.”
“You ask the impossible. My loyalty is to my King, my people. I cannot abandon them.”
“And who will you turn to when they abandon you?”
David froze. “What are you saying?”
Elyon was silent for a moment before speaking. “The choice to join me will always be open, I will never rescind it. However you will soon face a trial that will challenge everything you know and believe in. When you face it, know that I never change and will never abandon my people who call upon my protection.” His eyes turned to the bed and he spoke gently, “David, when she wakes she will need water and something to eat.”
And then he was gone. As quickly as he had appeared he disappeared. David was stunned and not altogether sure of what he had just seen—or not seen. Quickly he hurried over to Kathryn’s side—her breathing remained steady and unlabored. “Jenna!”
Jenna woke quickly. “What is it?”
“Tell me what’s happened!” Despite all evidence that Kathryn had improved, David was not a healer and he wanted a healer’s second opinion.
Jenna hurried over and checked Kathryn’s vitals. After a moment she turned a relieved face to David’s. “She pulled through! David, she’s going to make it!” Jenna was crying with relief.
David hugged her, his heart overflowing with relief.
Word spread quickly and within half a radian the entire castle knew that Kathryn would live. All the Dragons came to the room, reassuring themselves that what they’d heard hadn’t been a rumor. They didn’t stay long, but each went to find a bed and relieve their exhaustion after a long two nights.
As the early morning rays of dawn were beginning to show themselves over the horizon, Kathryn began to stir. The noise woke David out of a fitful sleep and he quickly woke Jenna. Together they watched as Kathryn slowly came to consciousness.
David left to allow Jenna to care and explain everything to Kathryn while he went to fetch some hot broth. By the time he returned, Kathryn was fully awake and talking with Jenna, Destiny perched on her lap.
“You know,” Jenna joked as she took the broth from David. “If you hadn’t starved yourself, you wouldn’t have nearly died on us.”
Kathryn gave Jenna a weak grin. “Sorry.” Her voice was hoarse and scratchy, but David was relieved to hear it.
“You’re forgiven—so long as you don’t ever do it again.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” she coughed and then turned her attention to David. “You sure took your time getting here.” Jenna helped her into a sitting position and convinced her to take a few sips of the hot broth. Destiny watched her human sip at the bowl like a cat watching a mouse but refused to budge from her position, even when Jenna tried to shoo her away. She merely hissed irritably and settled herself more comfortably on Kathryn’s lap. With an eyeroll, Jenna left the bird alone.
David smiled at her as he leaned against the bedframe. “Well the note we received was a bit cryptic. We had to do some thinking.”
“Does your head still hurt from the effort?”
“No, but my ear hasn’t stopped ringing,” he told her. “Destiny has the voice of a court trumpeter.”
Kathryn grinned at him. “I figured that would get your attention.”
“It startled him off his chair, he nearly fell to the floor,” Jenna told her with a smile.
Kathryn laughed, it was a little weak, but it was a laugh. “Are you serious? Our strong, brave leader fell off his chair at the sound of a bird call?” Jenna persuaded Kathryn to take a few more sips of the broth.
David raised an eyebrow. Was Kathryn teasing him? “Well the bird did happen to land on my shoulder and put her beak in my ear before shouting.”
His lieutenant smirked.
“You trained her to do that on purpose didn’t you?” he asked, comprehension dawning.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she replied innocently.
When she finished the broth, Jenna replaced the bowl with a goblet of water. “I’ll let the others know that you’re awake,” she said as she headed toward the door, pausing and turning around to say, “You know, Destiny spent most of yesterday and all of last night right above you. Kind of reminded me of a hen guarding her chicks.” She gave a quick smile and hurried out of the room, leaving Kathryn and David alone.
“So Destiny sees you as her baby chick?”
Kathryn ignored his playful jab glanced down at the water Jenna had forced into her hands and frowned. “I don’t suppose you’d be willing to sneak me some real food from the kitchens, would you?” she asked looking up, a wry expression on her face.
“And face Jenna’s wrath?” he asked with a chuckle. “Sorry, you’re stuck with broth until she decides otherwise.”
Kathryn grimaced and sipped at the water. “Why are you looking at me like that?” She asked David.
“What do you mean?”
“You’re studying me like I’m a creature from the stars, is something wrong?”
David shook his head quickly. “Nothing’s wrong,” he assured her. “I’m just trying to figure out what has caused this change in you. You just took a blade to the stomach in the worst way possible. I was ready to forgive you any grouchiness or irritability since you almost died on us. Instead, you’re happier…less guarded.”
She looked down at her glass for a moment, but then she looked up and spoke. “While I was locked away here, I had a lot of time to think,” she said slowly. “I came to the conclusion that while I may not have had a family when I was younger, I wanted one now. I often watched the rest of the Dragons laugh and talk amongst each other like family members, but I felt at odds, like I didn’t belong. Spending time here made me realize how much I really want to belong. How much I was missing.”
David couldn’t stop the smile that covered his face. “We’ve been waiting for you to say those words.”
“Mind you,” Kathryn warned. “I won’t change overnight. Silence is a hard habit to break. You’ll need to keep reminding me.”
“I’ll keep reminding you if you give me sparring lessons.”
She laughed. “Deal.”
Then the rest of the Dragons then flooded the room, ending the moment. Amy practically threw herself onto her friend, crying with relief. Destiny squawked in irritation, but refused to move even as Amy’s bulk threatened to squish her. They shared an embrace before the rest of the family pushed forward. Natalie and Lindsey were teary eyed as they congratulated Kathryn on being stubborn enough to beat death back. Kathryn actually laughed at their words.
The rest of the boys hugged her without shame, welcoming her back. Cass and Elizabeth couldn’t stop crying, while Leia, Rachel, and Jenna couldn’t stop smiling. Destiny remained on the bed beside Kathryn and let out a victory call. After everyone had hugged Kathryn once, the eagle became protective, nipping at people who got too close to her human
until Kathryn repositioned Destiny near her head so Amy and Natalie could curl up on the bed without needing a healer’s attention.
Lindsey stepped forward and handed Kathryn a small wrapped package.
“What is it?” Kathryn asked.
“Open it and see,” Lindsey said, blushing. “I wanted something to remember you by in case you didn’t make it. But since you did, I want you to have them.”
When she tore the paper away, Kathryn found herself looking at two elegantly drawn pictures. The first was a portrait of herself in the white dress she had worn to the final ball at the Queen’s birthday celebration. The second was a group portrait of all the dragons, each focusing on their own projects. Lindsey had drawn her sitting on Lerina with Destiny swooping over her shoulder. Beneath all the portraits Lindsey had written, Family.
Kathryn turned to look at David, who winked at her, “Welcome to the family.”
Several days later the castle received some visitors. Dowager Princess Jasmine arrived with all the fanfare due to her station and her worry. Trailed by Lord Jasse and the faithful Arianna, she marched straight into the castle, bypassing the servants who attempted to take cloaks and offer refreshments, and made her way to Kathryn’s room immediately. Her own guards and retinue made themselves comfortable as they scattered discreetly throughout the castle.
David wanted to chuckle at the disaster his aunt had left in her wake. The servants were racing around the castle, preparing meals and rooms and generally acting as if the king himself had stopped in for a visit.
Lord Jasse shooed the Dragons out of the room so that Jasmine and Kathryn could have a few moments alone. “Well done, David,” he said quietly as they stood guard outside the room.
“Thank you, sir.”
The door opened and Jasmine stepped out into the hallway. Both men came to attention and David could see the worry in the older man’s face. “She’ll make it,” Jasmine reassured Jasse who then quickly slipped inside the room to see for himself.
And no doubt deliver a lecture.