The Great Losing: The Mad Dragon King (The World of Shestafa )

by Karine Green

  Arlen was teaching Parana and Apis to fish. It had taken teasing from Wren and Shway to coax them both into the water. Once they realized the water wouldn’t put their fire out, they swam around dog paddling, refusing to get out.

  Sarnia waded out to her ankles in the water. Her and Arlen's six-week-old pup, Charilyn was clinging to her neck. She was trying to stretch her new little wings.

  “Come on, Char, I will not let anything happen to you,” Ridder said, from the saddle, holding his arms out toward her.

  Sarnia smiled and patted Charilyn with her tail. "Go ahead, Charilyn It's safe for you. Look at your brother and sister swimming. You can learn that too. Go, swim to Pa and Ridder."

  Charilyn head-butted her mother, before jumping into the water, and dog paddling to Arlen, who swam low enough for her to use his back as an island. "That's my girl, swimming like a champ."

  She stood on his back and wagged her tail, wiggling her whole body. “That’s my brave little dragon-niece,” Ridder said, holding her steady.

  Méi lay a safe distance from the water with their nine-week-old daughter, Francis clinging to her horns, glaring at the water.

  She looked almost exactly like her mother, except her stripes were definitely Air dragon. She was also already flying at great heights without the help or guidance of an adult, which was also a distinct Air Dragon trait. But, she breathed fire, without the hurricane effect tossing the majority of her Dragon magic into the Fire category; hence, she was giving the lake the evil eye while hiding behind her mother’s horns. Not only that, but she had already demonstrated that she was immune to teasing from the twins.

  Mack smiled at her. She wasn’t immune to her parent’s orders. She is getting in the water for the blessing even if it is just a front paw. As a princess, she can hardly be caught refusing a citizen’s blessing. Hopefully, Méi had a talk with her.

  Méi smiled back, and nodded to him, winking, and glancing toward the twins swimming. He did not even realize he was happily panting like a dog.

  "Woof," Dunia said, walking up and sitting down next to him on her hindquarters.

  He smiled and wagged his tail on purpose. "I love watching them swim around like that. They all look like little Loch Ness Monsters...so adorable. How is your new little pup? Dennis?"

  "Denyus, after the Earth Priest who blessed my marriage. He is fine, he's eating like crazy. Thankfully Greer is a good hunter." Dunia and Greer's egg had cracked just three days ago. He would be the youngest to be blessed here today.

  Her cousin, Almasi had decided to enter a new phase of military training that had taken him to South Dragons Ridge as the local Earth Minister there.

  South Dragons Ridge was the last city on Shestafa’s Eastern border before entering the Dragon Mother's land. Originally it was in her territory, it also was the only city that refused her offer of sovereignty. Luckily, it was connected to Mack’s territory so the transition to join Shestafa caused no huge diplomatic issue.

  Dunia smiled and looked out at the others swimming. "It won't be long before the older pups can teach Denyus to fish. I can't wait to teach him how to burrow. I am so excited to be his mother, I can hardly contain myself," she said, wagging her own tail.

  He smiled, "Life is good. We have all moved forward. Do you think Daphne, as she still calls herself, will honor her treaty with Shestafa? Because I would like to be the Dad King to my pups, not the Remembered King."

  Dunia smiled and nodded, "At the Peace Summit she seemed happy to move on in peace. Did you see her son? At three months old he already looks exactly like Lahay. People will eventually put two and two together. She can't keep her hair in that bun forever. They will eventually see Belinda in her facial features. What if he finds his father's Book of Spells?"

  Mack nodded. "Méi and Arlen both commented about how much he looked like Lahay. On the book, I have a spy who can keep an eye on it. Also, you remind me, I need a small jar of the water. It’s purified by Arlen and his pups, so it would be a perfect diplomatic gift for her." He pointed to the lake, remembering to use his tail to do so.

  “Oh yes, she will like that,” she nodded and squinted to look at a pair of Mountain Dragons as they flew in and landed nearby.

  "Majesty, we are sorry to interrupt you, but there has been a development." Lowell and Lowry, and Lowery’s rider, Wills, jogged over to them.

  "What is it, Lowell?" Mack asked. They were now Mack’s top intelligence officers. The information that seemed to drop into their laps was useful. Mack also made sure they were handsomely paid for their service.

  "There are reports from the Mother's Land; the book has been stolen. The spy said you would know what that meant," Lowell said, looking worried.

  Both Mack and Dunia nodded, but it was Dunia who answered. "It means there is a Blood King Rising."

  “Indeed.” Mack forced a smile. “Meanwhile the celebrations must go on. We have new citizens to welcome today. We can form a planning meeting after the holiday to deal with the Blood King’s Spell Book. Today, Lowell, Lowery, and Dragon Rider Wills, please join us in peace at the water’s edge.”

  THE END

  Thank you for your purchase, please consider leaving a review. Reviews are my bread and butter.

  You can also join me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Acetibular or Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GreenDragonPublishing/ for Green Dragon Publishing

  Or on my blog at https://khollygreen.wordpress.com/ where you can find the first three chapters to Mack’s great grandmother’s adventures in The Lilac Princess and The Blood King.