“Remarkable,” King Ricard said. “Does he breathe fire?”
The question was directed to Zollin, but in reply Ferno lifted its massive head and spewed a massive pillar of fire high into the air. Everyone on the rooftop felt the heat as they were illuminated by the bright, orange glow.
“Ferno is one of a pride of dragons. They are young and just getting a taste of the world, but they have been invaluable in the fight with the Torr and with the witch Gwendolyn. In fact, Ferno saved my life in the Grand City.”
“If they are all like Ferno, then they are grand, majestic creatures,” King Ricard said. “I say the Five Kingdoms are richer to have you and your pride in them.”
Ferno nodded again and Zollin bowed.
“I’m afraid we must be going,” he said. “Thank you again for your hospitality.”
“Thank you for the warning,” King Ricard stated. “We shall be ready if the war comes our way. We won’t be found wanting.”
“I believe you,” Zollin said. “I’ll come back if I have the chance.”
“As I have said, you are always welcome here.”
Zollin bowed again, and then he rose magically up in the air and settled on Ferno’s back, taking hold of the dragon’s short horns at the base of the beast’s long neck. Ferno roared again, smoke billowing out of its mouth and then jumped into the air, wings beating swiftly and lifting the huge dragon up and away from the castle. Zollin leaned over, looking down at the small circle of light on the rooftop. The city of Forxam was dark, but lights twinkled here and there from windows and small fires in courtyards. The torches along the wall behind the King and his retinue shone brightly, casting long, dark shadows as the men watched them fly away.
The wind was cold and the land below them was dark, as they made their way north through the night. It was an hour before dawn when the attack came. The moon had set and clouds were scuttling across the sky above them, blotting out the light from the stars. Zollin had been dozing, as his body hunched low over Ferno’s back when the great dragon was hit hard and flipped. Zollin was thrown clear of the dragon and woke to find himself falling into the darkness below.
Chapter 6
Brianna was nervous. She had met King Felix before and even lived in the castle at Orrock for a time, but now she needed to convince the king of the threat coming north from Osla. The prospect of petitioning the king made her feel like a little girl begging her father to let her have something she wanted from the sweet shop. She knew if Zollin were with her she wouldn’t be afraid, but he wasn’t there. In fact, she had to convince King Felix to move his troops now, so that when Zollin returned from the north he wouldn’t have to wait on her.
It had only taken a day to travel from Felson to Orrock, and then she had made camp rather going straight into the city. Brianna knew that Bartoom had attacked Orrock, and she wasn’t anxious to place her pride in harm’s way if the army had installed some type of dragon defenses. Instead, she rested, letting Selix and Tig hunt through the night. The next morning, she tried to contact Gyia. It took a little effort to push her mental inquiries far enough for the purple dragon to respond, but as she had hoped, Gyia was in Orrock. It took less than a minute to convince Gyia to come to her.
Brianna was camped near a stream and had already bathed herself in the cold water. She let flames wash over her, warming her up and drying her off at the same time. Then, she pulled fresh clothes from the pack that Tig had carried. It wouldn’t do to meet the King in tattered clothes. Her father always said that a person’s clothes made the loudest first impression.
It only took a few minutes for Gyia to find Brianna and come swooping into the small camp. Selix and Tig roared happily as Gyia approached. Brianna came to the slender, purple dragon smiling. She held her hands up and Gyia bowed. Brianna stroked the dragon’s narrow head.
“It’s good to see you, Gyia,” she said. “How was your journey north?”
“Pleasant,” Gyia hissed.
“Good,” Brianna said. “It sounds like you’ve been practicing your speaking skills.”
“Prince Willam says that communicating with words builds trust.”
“He is probably right,” Brianna said. “Humans are often slow to accept anything new or different. We bring news.”
Brianna found it easier to share the news about the battle in the Grand City and the creatures from the Abyss by using the dragon’s natural mental communication. Brianna could send images of the battle and of the monsters they had fought, so that Gyia saw for herself what they were facing.
“I must convince King Felix to send troops south to join King Zorlan, south of the Walheta Mountains.”
“That will be difficult,” Gyia said. “Your King is not a reasonable man.”
“What do you mean?” Brianna asked.
“You will see. I will inform the castle of your arrival. Come at midday.”
“We will. And thank you for your help.”
Gyia bowed, and then flapped purple wings, gliding up in the air and looking like a snake swimming across a stream.
“Gyia flies effortlessly,” Brianna said aloud.
She saw a mental image of the pride flying altogether.
“Yes, I wish we were all together too,” Brianna said, “back in the mountains with no concerns except our next meal.”
Tig let out a lonely wail and the image of Torc, the small blue dragon that had been Tig’s twin until it was killed by Bartoom, flashed into Brianna’s mind. She sent feelings of sympathy and love toward the small dragon.
They spent the rest of the morning lounging. The day was bright, but the temperatures were colder than the dragons or Brianna liked. They spent most of their time curled around one another for warmth and comfort. Brianna’s nervousness was shared with the pride through their mental link. By midday, none of them could stay still. Tig had been flying for the last hour and a constant cloud of dark smoke rose with every breath Selix took. Brianna paced back and forth near the stream, trying to decide how she would make her case to the King.
When an image of the sun flashed into her mind, Brianna knew it was time to go.
“Well, better to get it over with than keep worrying about it,” Brianna said.
She jumped into the air, rising higher than any normal person could dream of jumping. She summersaulted and then landed lightly on Selix’s back.
“Now!” she cried.
The huge golden dragon jumped into the air, its wings beating furiously as it rose higher and higher. After only a moment, the capitol city of Yelsia came into view. Orrock was a sprawling city, built more for productivity than for show like many of the other royal cities among the Five Kingdoms. The outer wall was thick and tall, the buildings within were sturdy stone constructs, outside the wall were sprawling ghettos of wooden shacks and mud huts. The castle near the riverside of the city was easily the tallest and most massive structure. Soon, Brianna could see the castle’s walls rising above the congested space around it. The castle itself was a simple structure, wide and sturdy, with tall watch towers rising over the city and giving unobstructed views of the countryside all around Orrock.
The two dragons glided along on thermal updrafts, sliding from side to side playfully. They circled the city once and then came to land beside Gyia in the courtyard in front of the castle. There were soldiers standing at stiff attention on either side of the castle’s wide, wooden doors. Brianna sprang off of Selix’s back, and after flipping head over heels, landed gracefully beside the big golden dragon. A moment later, the doors swung open and Prince Willam came striding out of the castle.
“Brianna,” he called cheerfully. “It’s so good to see you.”
“And you, Prince Willam.”
“Welcome to Orrock. Come inside, my father is waiting for you. I’ve given instructions for the dragons to be given a place outside the castle. They’ll be fed and given fresh water.”
Brianna smiled and sent a mental image of the three dragons lounging together. Then, she
turned to Selix and patted the big dragon’s neck.
“I’ll see the King and then come check on you.”
The dragon growled in response. Brianna walked forward and climbed the wide stairs that led to the castle doors where Prince Willam waited. He flashed a smile at her and then led the way inside. They went to the main hall and were seated at a long table where food and wine was being served. People from army commanders to visiting merchants were waiting patiently, many enjoying their midday meal. Willam poured Brianna a goblet of wine and then one for himself.
“My father is extremely busy,” Willam said, his cheerful demeanor not quite covering his embarrassment for making Brianna wait. “There is much to be done repairing the damage from the invasion and the black dragon.”
“Bartoom,” Brianna said. “The black dragon’s name is Bartoom. I don’t think we’ll have to worry about it coming back, at least not while my pride is around.”
“That’s welcome news. What of the invasion of Osla? Did King Zorlan succeed?”
“No,” Brianna said, “Although the news from Osla is not good. It’s a long story, and I better wait to share it with your father.”
“Of course,” Willam said, sounding a little petulant, like a child who has just been rebuked.
“Oh, I didn’t mean to offend you, my lord. I’m just not sure I’m up to telling the tale more than once.”
“I understand. Here, have some food. We may be waiting a while. It seems my father is going out of his way to make sure I understand my place.”
“What do you mean?”
“You should understand better than most. Perhaps it is paranoia, but my father has been poisoned by my brother and invaded by the southern kingdoms. He seems intent on teaching me that I have no place in ruling Yelsia; at least, not yet.”
“That seems silly,” Brianna said. “I doubt you are as foolish and power hungry as your brother.”
“Power is a temptation to us all. I dare say that Simmeron was only doing what I may have done under similar circumstances. I’ve never not had a duty to keep me busy before. I was shipped off to serve in the King’s army when I was fourteen, and then I was sent to the Grand City to serve as ambassador. But, the last week I’ve been here with nothing to do. I almost feel like an outsider.”
“But you would never turn against your father,” Brianna said.
“No, you are right. I wouldn’t do that. But, I’ve never been a patient person. I’m afraid my civility is running thin.”
They ate a light meal, mostly fruit and bread, with a little cheese. Brianna enjoyed the wine, but she was too nervous to drink much. The afternoon slowly passed, and Brianna watched the King’s steward, Homan, call in other visitors to see the King while she sat waiting.
It was almost nightfall when she was finally called in to the see the King. She did her best to remain calm. She knew that the King didn’t understand her concerns or the danger they all faced. It was up to her to convince him to act and getting angry at having to wait would only make that job harder.
She wasn’t taken up to the private room the King occupied on the upper level of the castle, as he had expected. She and Zollin had been put up in the castle just down the hall from the royal quarters and had met with King Felix in his private rooms, but now she was led into a grand audience chamber. The room was long and the ceiling was very high. There were marble pillars lining each side of the protracted room, and huge paintings in gilded frames filled the spaces between the pillars; their dark textured surface offering a stark contrast to the highly polished white pillars.
At the end of the room was a grand throne, high backed and decorated with gold leaf. It was padded with red velvet cushions with gold tassels and was set on a round dais that was six steps up. There was a thick, red carpet running the length of the hall and up the steps to the throne. King Felix sat waiting while servants hurried behind the grand chair and advisors whispered near the dais on either side of the room.
Prince Willam escorted Brianna down to the throne and announced her.
“Lady Brianna,” he said in a loud voice that filled the room, “Dragon master of Yelsia.”
Brianna bowed, a little embarrassed by the title. No one had mentioned her being a noble lady, much less a dragon master. The dwarves had called her a fire spirit, and she considered herself dragon kind, but the title of dragon master seemed wrong to her somehow. Still, she didn’t think it was wise to bring that point up in front of the King.
“Lady Brianna,” said King Felix, “you are looking well. It has been a long time since you were a guest here with us in Orrock. You are welcome.”
“Thank you, my lord, but I’m afraid I come with bad tidings.”
“All tidings are bad these days,” King Felix said. “We heard that you were lost in the mountains, taken by the black dragon. And now here you are, as beautiful as ever, and with two magnificent dragons in tow. I would say that alone was reason enough to celebrate.”
“Again, I thank you, O’ King, but there are more pressing concerns that I must inform you of. Osla has fallen, and the Grand City is lost. King Oveer of Ortis is dead, and the armies of Falxis decimated.”
“Again, I hear nothing to lament over,” King Felix said, his contempt for the other kingdoms that had plotted against him dripped from his voice. His advisors laughed.
“But my Lord, please hear me. There is evil sweeping across the Five Kingdoms. An evil sorceress, the same witch Gwendolyn who entranced your own son, Prince Willam, has awakened a very dark magic. In an effort to overthrow Offendorl, master of the Torr, she has called on the powers of the underworld and destroyed the Grand City. She opened a portal to the underworld, a great abyss that stretches east and west from the Grand City across Osla. She has unleashed horrid beasts that are capturing innocents from all over the Five Kingdoms and taking them back to her subterranean lair where she is transforming them into a massive army. They will be marching north soon and laying waste to the Five Kingdoms. Zollin and my Pride stood against this witch and her dark powers, but help is needed. King Zorlan has fallen back, gathering his people at the southern foothills of the Walheta and he urgently awaits your help there. We must make a stand, my King. We cannot allow the wicked tide to sweep into Yelsia.”
For a moment there was silence and then King Felix began to laugh. His advisors laughed with him, thinking that the King was laughing at Brianna, but he held his hand up to silence the room.
“Why should I care about Osla or Falxis?” he said. “Why should I help stop a war I did not start? Why should the strength of our army and the prosperity of our kingdom suffer? I do not doubt your sincerity, Lady Brianna, but I think you are naive. First, do you bring any proof of this threat you speak of?”
“Only my word, your highness, and that of my Pride.”
“And do your dragons talk like Prince Willam’s?” the King asked.
“In a fashion, all dragons talk,” Brianna said. “They are as intelligent as you or I, although they use projected mental images in place of words in most cases. Their mouths and tongues are ill-suited for forming words.”
“Yes, I’ve seen the purple dragon communicate with Prince Willam in this fashion, although it is hard to believe that a beast can talk.”
“Gyia speaks, Father,” Prince Willam said.
“Yes, indeed,” King Felix said. “But, back to the point. I cannot send armies south without further proof of your claims. It would leave Yelsia painfully exposed. As you might guess, our forces took heavy casualties during the invasion. The royal army must be reserved for our kingdom’s defense.”
“But it is our kingdom’s defense that I am petitioning for,” Brianna said. “Surely you would agree that it is to our benefit to fight the coming war on foreign soil.”
There was a murmur around the room in response to Brianna’s words. She didn’t know if it was affirmation of her claims or derision, but at least she was getting a response, she thought.
“Your plan would b
e sound in the event of a crisis, but I am not yet convinced that we face a crisis.”
“Father, the witch is powerful. I’ve seen her entrance whole armies. If she is moving north, we must prepare ourselves,” Prince Willam said.
“I will take your news under consideration,” King Felix said. “For tonight, you are welcome to dine with us. We will speak again tomorrow.”
Brianna felt frustration building up inside her, but she held it in check. The King was reluctant to act, but he was not completely opposed, and she still had a chance to convince him.
“Thank you, my lord,” she said, bowing.
“Homan will show you to your room, my lady, and I will see you at dinner, I’m sure.”
Brianna bowed again and followed Homan from the room with Prince Willam tagging along as well. Homan led Brianna down stairs into a small room with no windows. Unlike the room she had shared with Zollin, her new chamber was tiny with only a narrow bed and table with a basin and pitcher of water.
“It is austere,” said Homan, “but not uncomfortable.”
“It is fine,” said Brianna, at once reminded of the cave she had shared with her Pride in the Northern Highlands and also mourning the wide open spaces she had grown accustomed to over the last few weeks.
“If you need anything, let one of the servants know,” Homan said. He seemed in a hurry to get back upstairs.
“Thank you,” Brianna said.
Homan left and Prince Willam looked around frowning.
“It seems we’re both being put in our places,” he said. “This is no way to treat the woman who saved his life.”
“I didn’t save him,” Brianna said. “Zollin did.”
“It is still a calculated move,” Willam said. “One meant to intimidate you. Don’t let it.”
Brianna smiled.
“It would take much more than this to frighten me,” she said. “Once you have seen what I have, even the power of kings isn’t frightening.”
A servant poked his head into the room.
“My lord,” the servant said, holding out a note.
Five Kingdoms: Book 06 - Evil Tide Page 6