by Celeste Raye
"Where are your men?" he inquired of the commander.
"Considering the sudden weather change, I thought it more important to have them cut wood than to practice for battle. We are not yet prepared for cold. It has come early this year," Hesher replied. "We have heat in the buildings, but we need wood in abundance for the crops to continue growing, wood in the caves to keep supplies from ruining, and we will need more for the tents if other villagers arrive."
"It is good to have others I can count on to see to future needs. Thank you, Commander, for your quick thinking," Maxxus complimented him.
"No man should bear the entire burden. It is why you have appointed commanders, lieutenants, teachers, gardeners, and soldiers. Everyone has a duty to fulfill. The king is never alone. Do not let yourself believe differently," Hesher stated.
"I am learning that, though it was tough to get it through this hard head of mine. The citizens did well today, despite my late arrival. I will be sure to praise them. I suppose you have already realized that the weather change was not a natural occurrence?"
"I suspected as much, and so did Tae. He is not out there cutting wood with his men. He and Eveline have returned to the waterfall, looking for reassurance. I doubt they will find it. Kelan is in the mine, poring over every detail of the solution. Has Josie made any progress? Good news would bring relief to us all."
"No, Hesher. She had worked herself to exhaustion, losing sleep and weight. I forced her to take last night off. Now, she is in even a bigger frenzy trying to find an answer. She will not stop this time unless she finds the solution or dies. She is stubborn and determined, but I cannot lose her, so I will intervene if necessary," Maxxus admitted.
"So, she is that important to you. Can I assume you have found a queen, a life mate?"
Maxxus had trouble with the personal turn in the conversation. He was not used to telling others what he felt inside. But, with the walls around his heart crumbled and his newfound oath to become close to his people, he managed to form a reply. "Yes, she is my mate. She has sworn to be mine forever. Talonia is now as much hers as it is mine. She will not let it die without a fight."
Hesher finally removed his gaze from the forest and faced his king. "Congratulations, Maxxus. You have chosen well. Your Josie reminds me in many ways of my Lydia. They are a force to be reckoned with, but worth the effort. She will serve Talonia well, especially since she has a stake in its fate. She has already made a difference in you it seems. "
Quickly changing the subject before he blushed, Maxxus asked, "Can you spare some men to aid in Josie's quest? She wants enough of them to accompany each of the crew members out of the city to obtain new samples due to the weather development. The information from the samples is vital to a solution."
"I will go into the forest and send out men as I find them. She is right in realizing no one should strike out alone. A few weeks ago, I would have declared Talonia to be perfectly safe, but nothing is as it was then." Hesher melted into the trees.
Maxxus made a duty call at the infirmary. Daer was involved with his patients. Several more refugees were showing symptoms of radiation poisoning, although the ones from previous weeks were gone. The only one remaining who Maxxus recognized was a small girl who had been the most affected. She had required the potassium iodide treatment.
Dragging Daer out into the hallway, Maxxus asked, "Why are there more patients? Where are they getting the radiation and why is it the children who are the sickest?"
Daer ran his fingers through his tousled hair and sighed. "I do not think they are receiving more radiation. The stored food has passed inspection, and the garden has too. I believe the radiation has been migrating through their bodies slowly and eventually causes the symptoms. Their size and weight account for the differences in timing. Of course, the children are smaller and have less fat to absorb it. I also imagine they got into the gardens more times than their parents noticed."
"Will they recover?"
"Many have already done so, though they seem slightly weaker in some ways that I cannot account for. Fewer are coming in, so I would like to think that the worst is over. The cold air may have other effects or bring in more refugees. I am preparing for an influx. Josie has given us medical supplies and testing equipment surpassing our own. It will help in most cases. I am used to injuries and births, but not illness. We will have to adjust."
"Our situation changes daily so adjustments are becoming the new normal. Can the citizens continue to handle the changes, or will they begin to demand more answers, ones that we do not have?" Maxxus asked.
"If this was anywhere other than Talonia, I believe we could expect trouble. However, weredragons have a unique tolerance for difficult situations it seems. We have withstood many things in a short time, and yet we are remaining steadfast and calm. Soon they will want more information. I know I do. But, they will also come forward with support because it has always been our way. They will not riot, though they might suffer," Daer explained.
"They should not have to suffer. If we had taken the Savra's threats more seriously and attacked their planet sooner, this would not be happening. I should have argued for war, but I left it to Acer," Maxxus complained.
"Nothing would have been done differently, and you know it. We do not cause harm where none is required, and at that time the Savra did not appear to be a serious threat. They had been taunting us for years. We had reason to doubt they would ever follow through with their threats and to be honest, we did prepare for it just in case. In the end, no one can foresee every consequence of their decisions. We all do the best we can with the knowledge we have at the time, even you."
"I am doing exactly that now. Josie is too, in fact, everyone is, and it makes me proud to be the king of Talonia. I just hope I am not the last one to have a kingdom to rule," Maxxus replied.
Chapter 11
Josie
The cold continued during the following weeks but didn't get worse. Thankfully, it hadn't reached a freezing point. The crops grew and were reaped under the watchful care of the gardeners, who kept the small fires going to mimic warmer weather. Life went on, and Josie grew frustrated, almost angry. Maxxus was never around unless their duties shoved them together. Sure, once in a while he'd pull her out of sight and give her a quick hug and kiss. It wasn't enough. They had made declarations in that cave, hadn't they? Was the romance supposed to end there? Had she imagined the intimacy, the promises she thought he'd made?
Slapping her palm into the pool beneath the beautiful, sparkling waterfall, she muttered to it, "Tell me why he hasn't repeated his vows, and while you're at it, reveal the secret of how to fix the atmosphere. You communicate with others; why not me?"
She came close to tumbling in when Maxxus's deep voice answered from behind her, "I have asked the same question of it many times, the volcano too. We all feel the energy and power they project, but only a few get the privilege or honor of understanding what they are saying. Tae and Eveline are the closest, though Shara and Acer get small snippets."
Josie closed her eyes briefly and said some fast thanks for the fact he hadn't heard the beginning of her muttering. She was about to rise when she saw Maxxus kneel beside her, dragging his hand in the water too. He moved it towards hers until he could clasp it and the water warmed considerably as they touched.
"It is not as cold as I expected. The weather has not changed its temperature much," he stated, looking into her eyes.
"No," she whispered back, tingles running down her spine when his dark eyes softened. "The volcano kind of flows under the ground here, keeping the pool warm. The falls are icy, though. I made the mistake of trying to wash my hair in them."
Maxxus tugged her to a standing position and wrapped her in his arms. "Let me warm you up while we talk. It has been a long time since we were so completely alone. It has been difficult for me. Many times, I have come close to entering the ship and hunting down your quarters. The only reason I did not was that I feared stumbling into som
eone else's room. I doubted they would care for my sexual overtures."
"You could have reached me by communicator. I would've have met you at the door. I thought your declaration might have been made in the heat of the moment and you didn't want me to get any romantic ideas." The sadness and distress she had undergone were clear in her tone.
"I meant my vows, Josie. We are mated by Talonian law. The words we uttered during lovemaking sealed the mating the same as if we had held a ceremony. I should have explained that. Do you regret it?"
"Not even for a second," she replied. "But, if we're mated, why haven't we been staying together? It's been weeks now. It's confusing."
"I am disturbed many times a night by scouts arriving with news or reports from the weredragons on Earth. I had hoped you might get more rest in your quarters, but I have discovered I cannot bear to be away from you any longer. I want you in my bed as you should be. Will you move to my palace, my love?"
Relief and happiness at the sudden turn of events washed over her. She had gotten an answer, sort of, from the waterfall. The idea of that made her smile. "I would like nothing better. I'll be late sometimes because I have to be in the lab, but I promise to sleep with you every night."
"Once the citizens realize that we are together, they will expect other duties of you. Be prepared for them to bow and treat you differently, adding your title to your name unless you ask that they not. I sent out orders that they not use mine. It makes me feel distant, and I do not like it," Maxxus told her.
"My title?" she asked.
"Josie, my love, have you not realized that you are now Talonia's queen?"
"Oh, my goodness," she choked out, her legs turning to jelly.
Holding her up, Maxxus promised, "You can do this. In many ways, you are already acting like a queen. The population sees you as a savior and are counting on you. From now forward everything I am told, you will be privy to as well. You will be in on all decisions for our people, here and on Earth. I will guide you, just make it through one day at a time as I am."
He sealed the promise with a kiss that steadied her while drawing forth a desire she was ready to have him quench. He would have obliged with enthusiasm if his new communicator had not gone off. He cursed the fact that this one worked so well. "What is it," he snapped, trying to ignore the hardness in his pants.
"The last scout has returned," Hesher told him. "He flew in and is asking for help. A group of refugees is two walking days from here, and they cannot walk any further in the cold. He had them build fires and settle in a place between large rocks to block the wind. Once warmed, the adults can transform and fly, but the children need another way to get here."
"The hovercraft," Josie announced. "I can carry a half dozen at a time. What takes two days to walk will only take a couple of hours to reach this way. I'll make as many trips as it takes, starting immediately. Get the coordinates so I can find them."
"See, you are a natural at being a queen. You gave those orders without a thought," Maxxus declared.
Josie groaned, "Don't use that word or allow anyone else too. It's creepy."
The hovercraft was waiting with coordinates already put in by one of the spaceship's crew. Maxxus, as the black dragon, insisted on making the journey to stay with the children and allow their parents to find solace in the city. Outlying villages that still had resources were joining together to survive. A large city in the western hemisphere, rivaling the capital in size, was prepared to receive refugees from its nearest regions so that the capital did not need to bear the entire burden. Talonia wasn't lost yet, and they still had a fighting chance to restore it. Josie was making progress with her research, but not fast enough to satisfy her. She was frustrated, believing there was a clue she was missing. Besides, she had a new concern to deal with, one she couldn't tell Maxxus about until she was certain she wasn't mistaken. Holding her hand over her still flat stomach, she prayed for the safety of Talonia's children.
Big eyes in rainbow colors stared up at Josie. The children were so beautiful, a fact that had slipped her notice previously. Trapped in her work, Talonia's predicament, and her obsession with all things Maxxus, she hadn't really looked at the weredragon children. Now they were her responsibility, and she saw them for the dragons they would become. Intelligence, dedication, and a fierce longing to be set free shone from their cherubic faces. Their eyes spoke of the magnificent colors that would fill the sky once they reached the age of transformation. Right this minute, those eyes appeared too large for their heads. They had grown thin traversing the planet's rugged terrain with little to eat. If she had been one of their parents, she would have taken the risk of flying them to the city, but it wasn't her call. Some kind of contraption could have been built, like a saddle, to make the flight safer. However, she wasn't a weredragon, and maybe that was painful or disrespectful to their majesty. After all, they weren't packhorses or mules. She had a lot to learn about weredragons if she was going to be their queen.
One little boy with hair as black as that of Maxxus and eyes as blue as her own sent an arrow straight to her heart, causing emotional pain and joy all at once. If what her body was declaring turned out to be the truth, then her child could look exactly like this one. A gasp slipped out when it hit her; the baby could be a weredragon. It would have abilities that she didn't. She didn't know how to care for a human child, so how was she supposed to raise a weredragon? She wasn't ready to be a mother; she was barely a mate.
"Lady, do you need help?" Josie broke from her inner panic to see a small girl of about four, with golden hair and seafoam green eyes pulling at her hand.
"Oh, sweetheart, I'm fine. It's my job to help you, not the other way around. How would you like to ride in my hovercraft? I brought treats and water for you."
"Will it feel like I am flying? King Maxxus says it will. Oops, sorry. I forget. He said not to call him that, but my mommy always said I should or it would be dispected or something."
"You mean disrespectful, I think. For other kings, your mommy would be right, but Maxxus is different. You'll see. I'm Josie. Can I help you up into the hovercraft? I promise to go fast and make you feel like you're flying, if you promise to hold on tight."
"Yes, please," the girl replied politely.
"Maxxus was right. I can do this, one day at a time," Josie said to herself.
Maxxus
Maxxus was acutely aware of every move Josie made. He knew she was nervous about her new position, yet he could also tell she was using her stubborn determination to push through that nervousness. She was handling the children well despite her inexperience. The little girl she was lifting into the hovercraft and handing a cookie from her own supply from Earth was looking at her with a worshipful expression. Good; these children were meeting their king and queen for the first time, the only ones they knew, and they were learning quickly not to fear them. His and Acer's father had gloried in being feared. It made him seem more powerful, and set him apart from his people. Acer had changed that. He was respected, yet never feared. Once upon a time, Maxxus had wanted to rule like his father. No more. Experiencing the job for himself gave him a different perspective, possibly enhanced by the dramatic situation Talonia was in. Sure, he wanted to be respected and valued, but he also craved the love of his people.
Josie left with the first group, and his body yearned to follow. However, his duty was to care for the little ones left behind. They were frightened, even more so when they realized their parents were transforming and meant to leave. Maxxus gathered them near the fire and was about to tell them a story, one his grandmother had told him when he was very small and could not sleep. He was stopped by a scream. It was coming from one of the older children, an adolescent boy who was caring for an infant. His body was shimmering, and the baby was crying as the boy shook it. Rushing forward, Maxxus took the infant from him and passed it over to another child. The mass exodus of the adults had triggered the boy's first transformation, and he was terrified. He required guidance
to get through it, or the pain would be unbearable. He also needed to get away from the others, or they would be crushed.
He dragged the boy behind him, pretending not to hear his screams or he would join in. He was out of his depth with this. Parents or older siblings usually explained the change long before it happened. Then, they were there as mentors to see it through. Acer had been there for him. He had never imagined being in this position. "Get it together," Maxxus told himself. "This is not about you. The boy needs help, so give it to him."
Taking a deep breath, he dropped the boy's hand. "Slow your breathing," he commanded. "Everything will be fine in a minute. Breathing too fast will worsen the pain. This is good. It means you are becoming a man. Let your body take over. It knows what to do. I know it seems you are losing control, but your mind is still there. You are the same person, just in different form. See the scales forming. They are burnt orange, like your eyes. You are doing well. The next step will sting as your wings break out. Now, you will feel your face elongate. It is your snout. I have to back up because you are growing, but I promise I will not leave you. The pain should be lessening. It is almost over. Here are your claws. You did it! Stand still and get accustomed to the difference. You will revert to a man's form shortly. The first transformation lasts only minutes, so do not attempt to fly. Transforming in midair would be disastrous. I know you can understand me, just do not try to speak. That takes time and practice to learn."
Maxxus was shaking, and his throat was raw from the continuous talking. Even in the cold air, he was dripping with perspiration. Slowly, the boy returned as the dragon calmed. He stumbled with fatigue and Maxxus was there to catch him. His slim body collapsed, and Maxxus carried him back to the fire.