King's Dragon: Chronicles of the Dragon-Bound: Book 2

by William Culbertson

  “Renshau wants me to be a political advisor in East Landly.” Dax raised his eyebrows. “Does he mean to get you involved as well?”

  “He’s probably afraid you’d get into trouble on your own.”

  “But there’s mainly politics involved this time,” Dax chided. “No glory.”

  “All the more reason for someone there to watch your back. Those politicians are much more dangerous than the Mencadi.”

  He nodded his head in agreement. “There’s no doubt in my mind, Scarlet.” He shook his head. “None at all.”

  Dax called Tri Hanny over. “I have been summoned to a meeting.” He gestured to Scarlet. “If you don’t mind, I’ll leave you to finish up.”

  Hanny nodded. “Yes, sir.”

  She turned to Scarlet and smiled shyly. “Hello, Major Scarlet.”

  She turned back to Dax. “We won’t be too much longer, sir.” She nodded. “This is our easy day, and I was going to keep it short.” She motioned to a group of eight cadets huddled together at one side of the practice field. “The coding team will probably practice later tonight. That seems to be all they think about these days.”

  “Sounds perfect. I will see you tomorrow.” He gave her a crisp salute, which she returned with a smile. She also exchanged salutes with Scarlet. Recreation period was casual time, but Dax knew Hanny enjoyed the ritual.

  Scarlet briefed him on the way back to his room. The two of them were going to travel to East Landly in two months to meet the king. Once they had agreed on terms for the marriage, they would travel to West Landly in late summer with the king’s representatives for the actual negotiations. He and Scarlet would act in the role of advisors.

  After Dax had changed into his dress uniform, he walked with Scarlet along the main concourse where the companies were assembling to march to DRC in the dining hall. As he approached company three, First-Classman Polver called his company to attention and formally greeted the two officers. Dax returned the salute, amused to notice the number of eyes that followed him as he walked past. Only the eyes followed him, not the heads—the company was at attention. As advising officer for squad D, the members of the company had seen him many times in his plain black officer’s day coat. This evening he wore his commander’s uniform with its broad sash of medals across his chest. It made him feel a bit of a peacock, but the East Landly reception was a formal affair.

  #

  The commandant’s house buzzed with activity. Renshau came out to meet them and escorted them into the library, where the delegation from East Landly was enjoying drinks before dinner. Renshau introduced him to Deputy Ambassador Ras Carmodi first. The man rose from the couch where he had been sitting. “Ah, Commander Daxdendraig, our advisor-to-be on all things about West Landly. Commandant Renshau has told me many good things about you. The best part is, since he is dragon-bound, I know they all must be true!”

  The ambassador was a bit jolly with drink, and Dax smiled in response. “I only hope I can be of some service.”

  “Of course you can. You will be traveling with me to West Landly, where I will carry out the negotiations. My father, the ambassador, would dearly love to do it himself, but he is advanced in years, and our king wants someone who could travel back and forth between the capitals to make sure all the details are exactly correct. Besides, Father still has his ambassadorial duties to look after.”

  Dax arched his eyebrows at the mention of having to travel between the capitals. “There will be several rounds to the talks?”

  Carmodi showed a hint of annoyance. “King Kankasi will want to make sure our agreement considers all aspects of the marriage for his son. We want what is best for both kingdoms.”

  As easily as Dax could tell Carmodi was exasperated by his ruler, he wondered how effective the man would be in dealing with the representatives from West Landly. Deciding it would be best to keep the evening light and social, Dax gestured to Scarlet, who stood at his side. “Deputy Ambassador, may I present my aide, Major Scarlet? He is the other officer from Iron Moor who will be joining in the talks.”

  “Ah! Pleased to meet you, Major. I’m looking forward to our association.”

  #

  The deputy ambassador was quite convivial throughout the evening. Dax wondered if he would be that pleasant during their working relationship. There was no way yet to judge, so he put off that worry. Carmodi kept the casual conversation flowing with every group he joined. Dax circulated through the gathering, chatting with a few people in the room, but he spent more time nursing a drink and listening. Renshau poured generously this night, but Dax noted with amusement that the liquor was not from his special reserve.

  Dinner was excellent. The academy cooks could, at need, turn out a fancy dinner as well as keep the cadets fed and happy with their day-to-day meals. After the meal, Renshau, Carmodi, and Dax met in Renshau’s study to discuss the finer details of the project. The deputy ambassador planned to stay three days at Iron Moor before he returned to East Landly. Dax and Scarlet agreed to be in East Landly’s capital, Frohliem City, by midsummer. Carmodi estimated that the planning, traveling, and negotiations would take a total of three to five months.

  For the first time, Dax was privy to the financial end of the negotiations as well. He had been well paid as a mercenary captain, but he raised his eyebrows at the fee he would get as a political advisor—not to mention the amount the academy would keep for its own coffers. He had not appreciated the amount of money he could have made on his own. On the other hand, Renshau and the academy had contacts all across the North Remmak landmass, which meant there was always a good selection of steady work to be had. Perhaps it was a fair trade-off? Even though he would be out of the mercenary business, he made mental notes about the transactions involved.

  “So you are sure you want to get out of the mercenary business, now that you know what it pays?” Kahshect’s thought did not have his usual tone of playful banter.

  “Ah, listening in tonight, are we?” Dax thought back.

  “Just curious to know what you are getting into this time. Sounds boring.”

  “Well, maybe I need boring,” he thought in reply. He gave a mental sigh. “I won’t be slaughtering anyone this time. We’re just negotiating the marriage of a queen and the fate of two kingdoms.”

  “Too bad it couldn’t be something important like preventing a war between dragons and humans.”

  Startled, Dax looked around and saw no one looking at him. He stepped out onto the deck, where he was alone in the cool air. “What’s happening?” The thought of trouble between dragons and humans made his heart beat faster. “Are the dragons going to war? Are the drakons causing trouble?”

  “Drakons? Not likely,” thought Kahshect. “They are sheep. Big sheep, but they are mostly content to graze. No, it’s the draigs in the west country stirring up trouble.”

  “The draigs are having a dispute among themselves?”

  The dragon sighed. “We are and we aren’t. The human-bound draigs have always led, because we can see consequences of our actions, plan ahead, and control our impulses.”

  “So what’s the problem?”

  “There aren’t enough of us. In the West there are wild dragons . . . acting foolishly.”

  Dax had a thought. “Are they a threat to you, or is there more to it than that?”

  “At the moment, it is our problem and one we have faced before. However, there could be human trouble brewing.”

  This must be the heart of the issue. He frowned. “What is going on?”

  “Teycuktet has gotten word that a ship full of humans is approaching the wild section of the western Dragon Lands. They may be exploring. They may be settling. Whatever their intent, they will be in trouble if they land.”

  “How does this change things?”

  “Dragons keep the Great Treaty. The human-bound have an agreement with the wild draigs that humans can never be attacked outside the Dragon Lands.”

  Immediately Dax recognized the pro
blem, but he asked to be sure. “But if they land?”

  Kahshect gave a mental shrug. “The ship has been warned. If they land, the wild draigs will have them. We won’t interfere.”

  “Does Renshau know?”

  “Just this evening. There is much to lose if trouble starts between dragons and humans.”

  #

  Dax continued to work with squad D, but he only supervised and offered individual coaching where needed. Tri Hanny had everything well organized. The group had come together nicely as a team. He enjoyed working with the cadets and watching their success. However, Kahshect’s news of problems in the Dragon Lands along with the Great Mother’s words about his path were often in his thoughts. The irony that he would be meddling with the succession of the very crown he coveted had not escaped him.

  Renshau and Treyhorn fretted with him over the ship and the dragons. They worried at the problem from many angles, but reached no conclusions. The only possible gains they could see for humans to visit the Dragon Lands would be the profit they might be able to make by selling wild dragon eggs on the black market. However, the danger of attack by the draigs whose eggs they would be stealing would be so great that it seemed unlikely anyone would take the risk. It was a puzzle, and Dax did not like puzzles when the possible consequences were ruinous.

  Chapter 4

  Renshau’s voice rang out across the parade ground and the assembled regiment. “Second place in the finals of the Iron Moor Academy Communications Relay goes to the Dragons of squad D, company three.”

  Tri Doic Hanny stepped forward to receive the trophy while the rest of her squad, medals already around their necks, joined together to imitate a dragon’s roar. Hanny thought the roar had sounded silly when her squad mates first started it several weeks ago, but there was no doubt about their enthusiasm.

  Commandant Renshau shook her hand. As he handed her the trophy, he leaned forward and quietly said, “My congratulations to you and your squad, Tri Hanny. I’ve been most impressed with what you’ve done.”

  Hanny was so surprised the commandant knew her name that she almost missed the trophy. Once she had a firm grip, she smiled at the commandant and hoisted it overhead. Her squad mates and the rest of the regiment cheered lustily. Squad A from company seven had won the first-place trophy, but they had been expected to win since they had captured last-year’s trophy with essentially the same group of cadets. Squad D’s Dragons, with their spirit and obvious camaraderie, had been the favorite of all the other squads who had not made it into the finals.

  After the ceremony, the regimental commander marched the corps back to the barracks assembly area before dismissing the cadets for an entire afternoon of free recreation. Hanny looked around and spotted Commander Daxdendraig nearby. She headed in his direction. He had been on the platform with the commandant and other officers while the awards were distributed. Now she wanted a word with him.

  Before she got there, Major Scarlet called to her. “Tri Hanny. Congratulations.”

  Hanny stopped and saluted. She blushed. The man was so attractive that every time she saw him, she felt like a little kid. “Thank you very much, sir.” She held herself rigidly correct. “The squad did a great job.”

  Scarlet nodded. “Yes, they did, but I am congratulating you on what you did to organize and lead your team. My friend Commander Daxdendraig thinks very highly of your ability.” He winked at her. “From what I can see, he’s absolutely right.”

  She knew her face was as scarlet as the major’s name. “Uh, thank you, sir.”

  Scarlet patted her on the shoulder. “Don’t be embarrassed, but we’ve been watching.”

  His compliments had left her completely tongue-tied, which made her all the more embarrassed. Major Scarlet saluted her and walked away. She returned the salute automatically. After he had gone, she took a deep breath. She gathered her thoughts back to her original concern. Where was Commander Daxdendraig?

  She finally tracked him down near the officers’ quarters. “Sir? Commander Daxdendraig? Could I have a word, please?”

  The commander turned and smiled. “What’s on your mind, Tri Hanny?”

  “Could we sit down for a moment and talk? I have something to say.” The man looked puzzled, but he gestured to a nearby bench under the shade of one of the academy’s great oak trees. Once they were seated, Hanny took a deep breath and took her courage in both hands. She summoned up the feelings of indignation she had been cultivating for the last two days and blurted out, “You lied to me.”

  Daxdendraig arched his eyebrows in surprise. “In what way?”

  She ran her eyes down the medal-festooned sash he wore across his chest until she found the one she wanted. “That one. Right there. That’s a medal from the academy—a first place medal for the Communications Relay with three repeat stars. I saw it the other day. I did some research.” She paused and took another deep breath to calm herself. She looked him in the eye and recited what she had read. “The annals say, ‘Gard Daxdendraig led a squad that won the Communications Relay four years in a row. They retired the trophy that year and created a new one the next year.’” She looked him in the eyes. “I saw the old trophy in the Regimental Hall of Honors. You told me you didn’t know anything about the Communications Relay.” She let a little indignation show.

  “You always exceed my expectations, Tri Hanny.” Daxdendraig smiled broadly. “You did research on me. I didn’t expect that. In truth, I only led the squad the last two years. The first two, the squad selected me as ‘most valuable competitor.’”

  “But you told me a lie,” she protested. “I thought the dragon-bound could never lie.” The commander looked at her directly, and she struggled to meet his dark eyes. There was nowhere to hide. He smiled, and she relaxed in the warmth of his expression.

  “You are correct.” He nodded. “None of the dragon-bound can tell lies, and I did not lie to you.” He smiled at her a little sheepishly and looked down before he met her eyes again. “However, you have to listen very carefully to what we say. Just because we can’t lie doesn’t mean we have to tell you the truth.”

  She frowned. “But if you don’t tell the truth, isn’t that lying?”

  “If you think back, you may remember I didn’t say I knew nothing about the Communications Relay. I would have said something like, ‘Now what would I know about that?’ It’s a common trick we use. Not being able to lie can be . . .” He paused a moment. “A challenge.” He sighed and looked over her head at something far away. “No. At an early age I had to learn to avoid answering people directly.” His voice was quiet. He appeared distracted. The commander shrugged and looked back at her. “Many times answering a question with a question does the trick. People hear what they want to hear and continue the conversation.

  “I do apologize for misleading you,” he went on. “But how much thought would you have given to planning and training your team if you had known I could give you all the answers? The rest of the squad had confidence in you, and I was willing to trust that.”

  “But I could have learned so much from you.”

  He nodded. “You did. Letting you figure things out for yourself forced you to learn more about planning, organization, time management, and personnel supervision than a dozen concentrated seminars.” He smiled. “Besides, the couple of times you did start to go astray, all I had to do was ask you the right questions.”

  Hanny sat quietly for a time as she thought about what he had said. She had never worked so hard as she had in the last few weeks, and the squad certainly had done better than anyone had expected. She had learned a lot about being a leader, because she had just experienced leadership at its best. Suddenly humble, she looked down. “I guess I should thank you, and hope you will forgive me for accusing you of lying to me.”

  Commander Daxdendraig smiled broadly at her. “No, I should thank you for what you’ve done for me and my attitude these last few weeks. Working with you and your squad was just what I needed.”

>   She was puzzled, but before she could ask any questions, he went on, “The commandant is having a family supper of a sort tonight, and I would like you come as my guest. We would like to enjoy your company this evening.” He stood and offered her his arm.

  Chapter 5

  Dax and Scarlet had followed the East River down from the Circular Sea to the town of Hillsgate, that counted itself as the gateway to the hill country around the Circular Sea. Going downriver, the town marked the transition to the great prairie lands of East Landly. From there, water in the East River ran cold out of the hills south and east into the plains. Now eight days out of Hillsgate, they were coming to the small city of Falls Meadow. The fields around Falls Meadow were hot and dry in the brassy heat of the afternoon sun. The road was dusty, and the air was full of haze out to the horizon.

  This was his road? The Great Mother had said his path lay through East Landly, but there was distressingly little indication of anything important in what they had seen so far. He thought about what Kahshect had told him about the ship headed for the Dragon Lands. The road east took him away from that problem, but what was it taking him toward? Orin Herne had always said that peoples’ fates were determined by their training and preparation. The whole situation was frustrating. How could you plan and prepare if you had no idea what you were preparing for?

  Neither man had said much all morning until Scarlet broke the silence. “Lots of cattle out there.”

  Dax’s thoughts had been going in circles. He sat up straighter in the saddle and stretched—a new topic. He looked around and nodded in agreement. “That surprised me too. There are more than I’d thought there would be.”

  Scarlet turned dramatically in his saddle and stared at Dax. “I thought you studied all that stuff ahead of time. ‘Surprises are problems,’ if I remember correctly.”