Book Read Free

Were of the Drakon

Page 15

by B Cameron Lee


  Inside the Keep there was total consternation. The gates had been locked and barred at the first sign of the approaching forces. A runner had been sent to fetch Wiley Balfour and he’d arrived to inspect both of the advancing forces before coming down from the walls to talk to Septican.

  “Well, we’re in a right pickle now. Duke Erkhart is here. No doubt to take the Prince back to Conurbal and kill him for sure this time. The other force is Boronia’s king, Georgio, and if I’m not mistaken he has my offspring in his retinue. It looks like the missive which arrived last week was correct and one of them mentioned the drakons. Sorry.”

  “No matter old friend. Word was bound to get out eventually. We just have to work out what to do.”

  Wiley looked at Septican and placed a hand on his shoulder.

  “With that lot out there the only thing you can do is fly away Septican and take the Prince and his serving girl with you. Don’t tell my wife but I think you’d better include Vistala too. If the drakons can manage the extra weight.”

  “What about you Wiley? I can’t leave you alone to take the displeasure of your King and the ire of the Duke.”

  “The Duke is technically invading Boronia. I should be able to sow some seeds of disaffection there. And as to my King. Well how could I stop a known wizard escaping on his drakon?”

  Wiley laughed, pleased with his own deviousness and spun Septican around.

  “Better get going Septican. I’ll stall them for as long as possible but if my King orders the gates open, I’ll have to open them.”

  Septican sped off, light on his feet for one of his age and quickly ran to the barn, his first duty to warn Zirca and Traginal. It was soon done. Each drakon would carry two passengers. It was decided Zirca should bear the Prince and Septicon as they would be the heavier burden and she was the stronger of the two, leaving Traginal to carry Vistala and Kristen. They would need some basic food supplies and a blanket or two as well. Septicon thought of using the blankets as saddles. Lucky the weather was not too cold at the moment.

  When he reached the Keep it was chaotic, nobody knew what was happening. Septicon sought out the Prince and Kristen and told them to grab a bag each and throw some spare clothes and food in it and meet him outside the barn with a couple of blankets. They hurried to comply as he left them to find Vistala. He bumped into her mother, Malena, first. To her credit Malena exhibited a calm exterior but Septican knew it was for the benefit of the Keep’s inhabitants. He drew her to one side.

  “Duke Erkhart and King Georgio have arrived at the same time. Vigano and Bromala are with your King. Wiley thinks Georgio may have found out about the drakons. The Duke is here to take the Prince back and make sure he dies this time. We are going to fly away. Wiley thinks Vistala should come with us as she’s linked to the drakons. Can she come?”

  All manner of emotions flashed across Malena’s face as she thought of her response and as she was considering, Vistala rushed up and anxiously searched both their faces.

  “I’ve just come from the Prince and Kristen. They’re rushing around getting some things together. You weren’t going to go without me were you Septican?”

  Malena looked at the expression of utter despair on her daughter’s face as she though she was being left behind and made an instant decision. Her daughter deserved every chance of making a life of her own and not just becoming someone’s wife. She spoke to her daughter.

  “Go get ready Vistala, take warm clothes, blankets and some food in your bag. Hurry girl and then get to the barn, the drakons will need you.”

  Vistala looked from her mother to Septican in disbelief. A slight nod from Septican sent her running to get ready in time. Septican turned to Malena, his eyes moist.

  “That was a wonderful thing you just did for your daughter. As long as she lives she’ll not forget you or what you’ve done here today.”

  Malena could only sniff and wipe her tears away with her sleeve as she hurried away to carry on with the business of ordering a keep. Septican gathered himself together and dashed off to pack a few things for himself. There wasn’t much time left.

  In the clear area outside the gates of Balfour’s Keep, Duke Erkhart’s cavalry had reigned in and formed up behind the Duke while King Georgio’s infantry had formed up behind him. The two groups were facing each other as King Georgio rode forward with his General to one side and a resplendent Viscount to the other. He reigned in facing Duke Erkhart.

  “Who are you and what are you doing on my lands with a force of cavalry?”

  The Duke seemed taken aback at not being recognised, so removed his helmet as he announced.

  “Duke Erkhart, Regent of all Melintana, friend to the mighty drakon Serkahn. I have come to collect Prince Lermond, future King of Melintana, who I believe may be held here against his will by rebels.”

  The Duke sat back in the saddle, convinced his lies sounded reasonable enough and that the force he rode in front of was small enough not to be considered a threat. King Georgio digested this information for a moment or two and everyone sat or stood, quietly waiting, hoping there would be no hostilities. The King was giving consideration to a number of points, the most important being to not upset Wiley Balfour or the man would definitely be difficult to talk drakons with. The other was the matter of his response to an unannounced foreign force on his soil.

  “Who are these rebels who are supposed to be holding the Prince? Surely you are not talking about my loyal subject Wiley Balfour.”

  The Duke grimaced internally. This was not going to be as easy as he had first assumed. He thought hard as he studied the young King.

  “No Sire. I believe there is a wizard in the keep who left Melintana two years ago to avoid arrest. He has a crippled boy with him. Many years ago I had cause to execute his son and daughter-in-law for treason. I believe he has used a serving wench to give the Prince a potion and entice him to run away with her.”

  King Georgio’s ears pricked up. Wizard indeed. Useful most of the time. Maybe this was the one who knew something about drakons. The man might be of assistance but the Duke was in the right to come for his Prince. The young man should be returned if he was inside the keep.

  “Duke Erkhart. I have made my decision. If the Prince and the serving wench are inside the Keep, you may take one or both away with you. However, the Wizard and his crippled boy are to stay. If you agree to this we can proceed.”

  The Duke was torn. It was not the outcome he’d hoped for. It was damn unfortunate that the King of Boronia had turned up at exactly the same moment he had. Still, he would get the Prince back to kill at a later time. He would invent a story he was still ailing and slip him more of the poison. As a bonus, he’d get the serving wench to publicly execute as an object lesson to any others thinking of defying his Regency. It would work out, even if he had to give up on Septican Mycindun yet again.

  “Very well King Georgio, I accept those terms and wish to say that I’m extremely pleased to see our countries can work in harmony together.”

  His little speech over, the Duke faced his horse toward the gates as did King Georgio and soon after, the parade ground voice of the King’s General rang out.

  “Open the gates in the name of King Georgio of Boronia.”

  They waited but nothing happened. The General looked back at the King who motioned him to repeat the command. As the ringing tones were dying out, Wiley Balfour popped up from behind the wall.

  “Sorry Sire but we’re having a little trouble with the lock. It seems to be jammed. Don’t worry, we’ll have it open shortly.”

  He disappeared from view and there were banging sounds from the other side of the gate. Suddenly a huge roar rent the air and the horses took fright, plunging up and down as they were held in check. The King and his retinue looked alarmed as they fought their horses to a standstill but the Duke knew what the sound was. Drakons.

  No sooner had he thought it than two great shapes shot into view above the walls of the Keep, huge wings beating
mightily as the two beasts, one a shiny gold and the other as black as jet, strove for height. On the backs of each were two riders, sitting in front of the wings at the base of the neck and holding on to loops of rope for grim death. As the amazed King and frustrated Duke looked on, the two drakons soon became mere smudges in the sky, heading east, out over the Inland Sea.

  The gates to the Keep opened and Wiley Balfour stood there bowing as the King rode in, followed by his infantry then Duke Erkhart with his cavalry. It was going to be an interesting afternoon. It was, as the King was furious at missing out on the drakons and the Duke was ready to kill because the Prince had been snatched from under his nose and there were drakons where there should not have been any. Why didn’t Alesander know about this?

  The saving grace was Septican. He had briefed Wiley before he left and convinced him to tell a concocted story.

  “Tell the King I stole the drakons and convinced the Prince and the serving girl to come with me. I’m already a fugitive from the authorities in Melintana so it will look to be a likely story. You didn’t know that as I never informed you. You couldn’t stop me from escaping or the drakons would have wreaked havoc in the Keep and maybe even endangered your King’s life. You had to let us go to keep your King safe.”

  King Georgio believed Wiley. He was shaken by what he’d seen. The size of the drakons was far greater than what he’d thought they’d be. The only other drakon he’d ever encountered was during the last time he came south and saw a worker scout flying overhead, nothing near the Royals in size. Those two drakons could have flattened him and his forces without any trouble at all.

  The Duke on the other hand, didn’t believe a word of it but this was Boronia not Melintana and just this once he’d have to give in to another’s will and return home empty handed. What were those drakons though? Definitely Royals but not Zaldara or Serkahn and they were the only ones he knew of. Serkahn was going to be mightily interested in this.

  The coming days would, no doubt, be very interesting.

  11. Fulfilling a Promise

  Arwhon quietly observed the gathering seated around the large table in the dining room of his Grandmother’s house in Belvedere as the conversation flowed back and forth. Sihron’del sat beside him, actually wearing a dress today rather than her normal Ranger garb. He found it quite fetching. Feeling his jade green eyes on her, Shiri darted him a quick glance, her own large amethyst eyes alive with her love for him. He couldn’t help giving her a fond smile in return. They’d only arrived yesterday after a leisurely trip down from the Darkwood and were still catching up with all the news.

  The trials of his battle with the Q’Herindam Mages and Arwhon’s subsequent rescue were behind him now and in the months following, he and Shiri had managed to spend some time together in the Darkwood and then on his farm in the Broken Lands, a gift from its grateful king. That time had been a peaceful sojourn after a few hectic years but now he had to honour a promise he’d made to Cringle.

  “What do you think Arwhon?”

  He looked up and focused on his Grandmother, he’d not heard the question.

  “Sorry Grandmother, I was thinking. What was the question?”

  “Captain Belmar was wondering if you two would be ready to leave in a few days.”

  Arwhon regarded the Captain, seated beside his Grandmother. The diminutive little seaman had really captured his Grandmother’s heart and he in return adored her. In fact, while Jalwynd was docked in Belvedere’s harbour, they were virtually inseparable. Belmar was, at the moment, observing Arwhon through a cloud of tabac smoke, a little habit he indulged in, waiting for a reply. Arwhon gave the question a moment’s thought.

  “I suppose so. Everyone else has been patiently waiting for us to arrive and there’s nothing we have to do here in Belvedere.”

  His Grandmother sighed.

  “I never get to spend a lot of time with you. There’s always something making demands on your time.”

  “Grandmother. You’ve had Raleen and Kuiran staying here for the last two and a half months, not to mention Cringle.”

  His Grandmother darted a glance at Cringle, sitting beside Kuiran and Raleen across the table from Arwhon and Shiri.

  “Him. He’s never here. Spends all his time with Merdon. What they get up to, I’ve no idea.”

  Cringle’s dark Cheshwon face remained impervious under Cristal’s penetrating gaze as he spoke up.

  “Merdon and I share common interests. He taught me a lot and he’s a much deeper person than he appears. He’s someone I would call friend.”

  “Yes, and a thief and a murderer too,” Cristal rejoined.

  “Someone you valued highly enough to have voted on to the Council of Ten, Cristal.” Cringle reminded her, amusement evident in his voice.

  Cristal leaned back in her chair, her fingers tracing the carvings on the armrests.

  “Yes I did and Belvedere is a better city for it but he’s still a thief and a murderer. Head of the Thieves’ Guild as you well know.”

  The bright eyed doyen regarded everyone at the table, one by one.

  “So. I’m going to be saying goodbye to all of you again. At least I know where you two will be,” she said to Raleen and Kuiran. “It will be good business to have you on the Island of Wyalon sorting out Trade items for us and selling the goods we take there. Plus I know you’ll be safe and my little Captain will report back to me on how you are both faring.”

  Cristal leaned over and gave the deeply tanned little man beside her a peck on the cheek. Captain Belmar immediately turned a deeper shade as he blushed and hurriedly took a swallow of his favourite mead liqueur to cover his embarrassment. She turned her attention back to Arwhon and Shiri.

  “Why you two have to go to Cheshwon with Cringle is beyond me. You should be settling down now and thinking of having a family.”

  Shiri and Arwhon turned to each other for a moment before Shiri answered for them both.

  “You sound like my mother Cristal but both of you forget that in the way the M’Herindar measure time, I am barely out of my teenage years. There’s far too much to do and see before we can even think of a family.”

  Shiri sought Arwhon’s hand and gave it a little squeeze which he returned. They’d already discussed the matter and agreed with each other that it was better to wait. Arwhon took up the conversion.

  “Grandmother, I made a promise to Cringle that we would go with him to Cheshwon to assist in his search for his mother. I feel I must remind you he was Servant and besides performing his duties and carrying out every task I gave him, he volunteered to take in the essence of Escarion to help save me from the Q’Herindam.”

  He turned his attention to Captain Belmar.

  “So my good Captain, is Jalwynd loaded with goods and ready to sail again?”

  “Aye, young Arwhon. After Cringle returned wit’ the news of the Q’Herindam’s defeat and while we wus waiting for you, I took Jalwynd round to Encarill so’s the crew could ‘ave some decent shore leave. I spent some time with yer brother and took an order for some Trade items from him. We returned last week and loaded Jalwynd. Kuiran here ‘as been pesterin’ me about leavin’ soon.”

  Arwhon shot Kuiran a quick glance before asking the Captain about his brother and sister-in-law.

  “So how are Staril and Polnari?”

  “He’s the King of Myseline’s Minister of Trade and doin’ quite well at th’ job. Polnari seems to have settled into Court life and if’n I’m any judge, there’s a young un on the way.”

  Cristal clapped her hands and whooped.

  “My first great grandchild.”

  Suddenly realising what this said about her age she quieted. Raleen spoke into the silence following her grandmother’s outburst, teasing her brother at his propensity for getting into trouble.

  “So Arwhon, we’re to become an aunt and uncle. Do you think you’ll be able to stay alive long enough to see the child grow?”

  Arwhon looked uncomfortable as he re
plied to her.

  “I didn’t try to get killed Raleen. It just sort of happened. I’ve spoken to Fate and Destiny as you know. Destiny said she had all this figured out and if it wasn’t for Fate stepping in, I’d have been dead ages ago. I don’t know if they are still writing my future or whether it’s now been left to Chance. Time will tell.” He chuckled at a memory. “I met her too, she absorbed Mehgrin.”

  Arwhon stilled then regarded the Captain again.

  “You left enough room in the hold for Duran, Rancid and Vixen to come with us to Cheshwon?”

  “Aye lad, it’s all taken care of but that gryffon of yours will ‘ave to roost above decks though, especially if it needs to fly. We could leave the day after tomorrow if’n that’s alright with you all.”

  Arwhon looked at the faces of those around the table, a slight nod here and there, a smile. All were in accord.

  “Well Captain Belmar, it looks like we’re all in agreement. Just let us know what time of day we have to leave.”

  “That’s an easy one young Arwhon, the tide goes out after lunch and we go out with it. Kuiran here manages the Jalwynd in his own way and with what I hear of your Servant Cringle, there’ll be no problem with wind either.”

  It was settled. The day after tomorrow would be the start of their next adventure.

  The activity the next day was intense. Arwhon, Shiri and Cringle were preparing for travels in Cheshwon, an unknown country and destination. Having magic and being able to set protective wards around themselves reduced the dangers of the unknown but they’d found diplomacy was always best. They would be landing in Sheskan and only knew what little they’d heard about the busy seaport from sailors who’d already been there. They didn’t have any idea what to expect otherwise. Arwhon, Shiri and Cringle were taking their mounts with them to Cheshwon as Arwhon and Shiri intended riding back to the Darkwood via Tarkent, a trip which would allow them to visit Chalk. Cringle however, was intending to fulfil a promise to Escarion, the Air Mage who was now a part of him and return to Lynbrook, home to the Kin of S’Ria, nestled near the base of the mountain Farseer. It would be a long journey to get there from Cheshwon, first crossing the Turquoise Sea then journeying through the southern lands.

 

‹ Prev