Lariel nodded. He was torn between being happy knowing that Deneene understood and sad at having to let her go. He knew, however, as she took her place on the throne next to his, that she would never be far from his side. He then turned his attention back to the affairs of state. “I am going to assume you will be removing your orders to the Blue Dragons to keep me away from the Ice Lands now.”
“As well as to make sure all our sons are told about Deneene’s change of heart,” King Thilmior informed Lariel. “They will be glad to hear of it.”
When the three Ice Land Princes in attendance smiled widely in agreement, Lariel knew there was more to this than he was being told. King Thilmior and his family were obviously keeping secrets from the rest of the Empire. He wondered how long this had been going on and what it was. He was going to put a stop to such practices immediately. This was no time to hold information back from the rest of the Empire, not from any quarter. “I think you have something to tell me. Am I right?” he asked.
King Thilmior turned a deep shade of crimson. He knew Lariel had guessed at least a part of his secret. He was certain it wouldn’t take him long to figure out the rest. Besides, now that he was family, it was time he knew what they had been hiding over the last century. “You are right, Emperor Lariel. We do have something to tell you that we have been hiding from the rest of the world. However, I am thinking you might not agree with what we did after you hear. You might even call other powers into play as well then.”
“I see,” Lariel sighed, as he shifted slightly in his chair to cover his irritation. He was getting the feeling this was going to be worse than he first thought. Why now? Didn’t he have enough to handle?
Deneene didn’t need to be told it was time for her to reach out to remind Lariel of her presence. His features had darkened, as if to say he was feeling betrayed and alone. His closest friend had been keeping things from him, and he was the one person in the Empire who should have been told. He was Emperor and might need this information. He was about to find out this was about family, and now that he was a member of theirs, he would be taken into their confidence. “This is not about the Empire, or at least, we don’t believe it to be. It is about family.” She tried to give him clarity on the situation.
A swift exhaling of breath from Lariel told everyone in the room he had guessed what he was about to be told and didn’t agree with their decision. It made them wonder how violent his reaction would be, or if he would get angry at all. He was not known to be a man to resort to fits of temper. Instead of saying anything he took her hand in his and pressed a kiss to it as he ordered, “Tell me.”
Lariel didn’t miss anything unfolding around him, and somehow, he recognized each sign for what it was. The first thing he did was to reach out to King Gerolth, even before anyone in the room started talking. “I want you at the Palace now,” he said. “How soon can you get here?”
King Gerolth didn’t question whether this was important or not. Lariel wouldn’t have called him to the Palace on his bonding night if it wasn’t of the utmost for him to be in on what was happening. As for why him, he supposed he would find this out when he got there. He answered, “I arrive as we speak.”
King Gerolth appeared in Dragon form over the Palace a split second later and shifted back to his natural form immediately. Mere moments later, he strode into the room where Lariel was holding court next to his bride. The first thing he checked for was to see if his Emperor’s Dragon had surfaced, but it wasn’t even close. The Gold Dragon living deep within Lariel was slumbering and showing no signs of wanting to wake. A quick glance at the men standing before him told him another story. Three of King Thilmior’s sons were having a difficult time holding their Dragons at bay. There was no reason for this. They needed to learn to control their Dragons, especially as there was no danger anywhere. It was the perfect time, because there was nothing to make their alter egos feel they were needed to protect anything.
King Gerolth didn’t wait for an explanation. Instead, he looked at the Elves on the verge of shifting and barked out an order, “Get your Dragons under control, or do you want me to do it for you?”
Deneene’s brothers were shocked enough to immediately freeze where they were. They then quickly pushed their Dragon personas deep into their subconscious minds. The moment they had them under control, they looked at King Gerolth with renewed respect. They knew this man would want answers and they were the only ones capable of providing them. It was time for Lariel to know everything to do with this as well, even if they suspected he already did.
“I imagine you are going to want details,” King Thilmior began.
“That goes without saying,” King Gerolth replied drily. “Suppose you start at the beginning.”
“They haven’t been shifting for long, only around fifty years,” King Gerolth admitted. “The Dragons inside of them began to show signs of existing a century ago. It hasn’t been easy, keeping this to ourselves. Blue Dragons are not known to be like any of the others. They can seem silly by comparison.”
“We have all noticed,” King Gerolth agreed before demanding. “Why wasn’t I contacted when this began to happen?
“You aren’t alone in asking that question,” Lariel added. “King Thilmior and I are friends. We met upon many occasions during many functions as well as personal visits. There were several opportunities for him to inform me about this without anyone else hearing of it. I could have told you about this phenomena without anyone needing to know there was anything out of the ordinary happening in the Empire.”
King Thilmior nodded as he frowned and began, “Ariendel was the first to show signs of shifting. I thought about reaching out to tell you at the time, but wasn’t sure what you could do about it. All the Guardians of the Empire were Gold Dragons. My sons weren’t. They were Blue. I could only question whether this made them different or unacceptable.”
“I can understand your confusion,” King Gerolth agreed. “Your sons, from those I can see that are here, are all Blue Dragons, as are all the Dragons in your lands. You could have been worried about whether I would be forced to destroy them because they are different. This isn’t the case though. To a Dragon, color means little. Although the Gold, Silver and White are considered special because of their color and are given diffidence.”
King Thilmior heaved a sigh of relief as he nodded in understanding. “It isn’t such a far-fetched fear, not if you could come up with the reasons so easily on your own. You didn’t have to think hard about it. Orienth shifted mere weeks after his brother, and Dantor followed within days of him. He was never one to be left behind by his brothers. The Blue Dragons, to give them credit, took them under their wings immediately. They couldn’t guide them through the shifts, but they could teach them how to be Dragons.”
“From the little I have seen, they have done well, but need more to be brought into their positions properly,” King Gerolth noted. “They seem to have more control of their Dragons than most do in the beginning, especially when you consider they only had full Dragons to guide their actions in the past. I will insist on taking them under my wing to finish their training. There will be a lot for them to learn, beginning with what they need to know to evade the quarrels the Humans use to shoot with the Dragon Killers.”
“I thought the war machines were all destroyed by the High Lord General Gabriella Eagle Claw when she shifted into Dragon form,” Lariel added.
“That will only give us a little more time to play with, nothing more,” King Gerolth sighed. “They will heal and rebuild, then they will hunt like a pack of wolves after a wounded animal, not that we have been that badly injured.”
“I bet T’Harris doesn’t feel the same way at this time,” Lariel grinned. “Even Anamara said it will take time for him to return to normal, even after all the work the Grey Elven Healers did to correct the damage.”
“If I know T’Harris,” King Gerolth spoke, “He will be up the moment the sun rises. He will probably be on the pra
ctice field with Gabriella and neither will be without their swords.”
King Thilmior agreed with King Gerolth. He had studied all of the Guardians of the Empire and figured the Dragon King knew his men well. This was the type of man he wanted to teach and guide his sons, especially as he knew he didn’t have the expertise to finish the task the Blue Dragons had started. He looked at him and asked, “When and where do you want my sons to go with you?”
“For whatever reason, only the sons of Kings end up as Guardians of the Empire. We all live in lairs, which are little more than caves. Each Elf is expected to make it into a home.” King Gerolth pointed out. He wanted King Thilmior to know they all shared the same status on the islands. There would be no differences made there, beyond the obvious ones of training. At the same time, he needed for him to understand that being a King’s son wasn’t a prerequisite. “I don’t see the reason why this is happening, any man should be capable of harboring a Dragon inside of him, but this has been the way it has been so far.”
“I would think it has to do with the great power we all develop at certain levels,” King Thilmior considered.
“It doesn’t seem to have made any difference with the Life Mates, although I noticed, in the case of the women, even the Warrior Talent doesn’t seem to need to be strong. I don’t know why some amongst them are able to shift while others can’t. Nothing follows in what I consider a logical pattern.”
“Like Princess Ilénè of the Dark Elven Kingdom?” King Thilmior pointed out. “She is Royal but cannot shift. It bothers her too.”
King Gerolth nodded in agreement, “You would think with her strong Warrior Talent and ancestry she would be a prime candidate to be able to shift, but this doesn’t seem to be the case.”
“On the other end of the spectrum,” King Thilmior noted, “There is Gabriella Eagle Claw’s Dragon. I don’t know if any of us know what to think about that. Have you ever seen another Dragon like hers?”
King Gerolth gave a weary, drawn-out sigh, then admitted, “I don’t know what to think about that, and no, I have never seen another like hers. Our Dragons realize she is special, but they don’t seem to be able to explain it. All I know is that they will follow her anywhere and do whatever she orders them to do. I have found most Dragons will take direction from a White Dragon in battle, but my Dragon tells me she is more than this to them, just not what. I figure they either don’t know all the details or won’t tell.”
“Then how are we supposed to know what to think?” Lariel asked.
“I am considering the possibility of sending one of the Guardians or perhaps even two to the Elven Nation to talk to the Dragons there,” King Gerolth answered. “If any of them know, it will be one of the older Dragons. They are the keepers of Draconian history and rules.”
“What would happen if they were suddenly killed off?” Deneene asked out of curiosity.
“All of the Dragons, or only the older ones?” King Gerolth asked.
“The older ones, as they are those with the knowledge,” Deneene answered.
“The younger generation would eventually come into the information in the same way as those who preceded them did.” King Gerolth answered. “However, they would not have the wisdom and guidance of their elders to keep them in check as they age to get to that point. Dragons don’t explain a lot to others. They seem to expect everyone to know what is expected or what will happen.”
“How do you plan to get your men through the mist hiding the continent and onto the land?” Lariel asked.
“How did Anamara come across or return to their world?” King Gerolth asked Lariel. “She wasn’t flown here by Dragon, nor did she come by ship.”
Lariel knew immediately what King Gerolth was doing. He was making them come up with the answer on their own. He was certain he knew what this was. “Seladair opened a portal for her from both directions, didn’t he?
King Gerolth nodded and grinned as he added, “Where one portal was opened, another is possible. He should remember all the details needed to do this. Elves move around, but a landscape seldom changes, unless it is under the influence of a Tratchar. Under their influence, most anything is possible.”
Lariel looked at the gleam in King Gerolth’s eyes and stated, “I get the feeling you have an ulterior motive to your decision. Are you interested in sharing, or is it only something the Guardians of the Empire need to know?”
“Kestriel knows where the Dragons dwell in the Elven Nation, so it makes sense to send him and Ilénè with another to speak with them. They can find out what we need to know and then return with their report.”
Lariel had an inkling he knew where this was going. He had been there during the healing and saw what happened after. Anamara and Ellora not only had been summoned from their work, but also pulled away against their wills. It had also been done immediately after Anamara had met her Guardian Life Mate, Tethak. Had the Elf in charge known about the newly formed bond? If they did somehow, did they disapprove? If so, why should they? These were questions he wanted answers to as much as King Gerolth, who he was certain had a list of questions nearly as long as his.
Lariel looked sharply at King Gerolth as he spoke, “You intend to send Tethak after his bride.”
“Amongst other things, damn right I do,” King Gerolth admitted. He didn’t tell Lariel that the Guardian was already flying toward the edge of the Elven Empire to try to break through the barriers on his own. What he did was to reach out and order Tethak back to the Palace in Torendal for a conference with the Emperor and him. By the time the Guardian got to them, they would have a list for him to work with. Kestriel and Ilénè would be given another similar to his.
“I will open a portal for you,” Lariel offered, thinking King Gerolth might need one to get to wherever he needed or wanted to go.
King Gerolth looked closely at Lariel and shook his head. He could tell Lariel was at the end of his energy level. It would be dangerous for all of them to force their Emperor to extend his powers any further. “You have done enough for this day. Seladair will open any portals needed over the next forty-eight hours. Besides, he is the one with the best chance of doing what needs to be done with any degree of success. While everyone gathers to prepare for the mission, we should write out a list to detail what we want done. This can also wait, for we have time. What everyone needs more than anything right now is to rest.”
Lariel agreed, although he wanted the questions written out while they were still fresh in their minds. Rest could come later. He sent for paper and pens as he rose to go to the tables set to the side of the room. If the others were unwilling to spend time now to do it, he could still write and think for himself.
CHAPTER XXIV
Even as tired as Anamara was when she arrived in the Elven Nation, the first words she uttered, as she stepped through the portal and onto the sandy beaches of their world was, “Who got hurt?”
Amhiel looked at Anamara and blinked in confusion. He had absolutely no idea what she was talking about. Her father had asked him to find a way to get her back and to do it quickly, which he had. However, he had no idea what for. There had been no mention of anyone being injured. As it was, he had gone out of his way to coerce one of the Elven Wizards to open a portal to speak with Ellora, and it hadn’t been easy. They had managed to create enough of an opening to contact her with, but it had taken one of the Warrior Wizards from the Elven Empire to create anything large enough to transport her back home.
The difference between the two types of Wizards had explained why the Elven Wizards from the Elven Nation had always been reluctant to open portals to anywhere outside of their homeland. They found contact from the outside world difficult, and when he asked why this was, he was told it stemmed from having their power drained off to keep the mist up and around the continent, so that they would stay hidden and safe from others. They weren’t concerned about the other Elves, but they feared people in general. The Wizards in the Elven Nation were not nearly as fierce a
s those in the Elven Empire were and somehow they knew this. They also expressed relief at hearing that soon the two sides would be united, for this, would relieve some of the pressure from them. At the same time, it would not diminish the War Wizards whatsoever.
Anamara could read the truth on Amhiel’s face. Her father had gotten him to bring her back under false pretenses. She couldn’t believe he would do something like this to her. She glared at the head of the counsel and asked, “Did you know what my father had in mind? Did you know you summoned me back from within the arms of my Life Mate?”
Amhiel took a swift intake of breath as he realized he had been used. He then looked beyond Anamara, narrowed his eyes and angrily sent an accusatory message to her father, “Islendil, you will come to me, now.”
They all knew Islendil had enough power to open a small gateway over the short distance separating them. It wasn’t much, but it was enough as her father walked into the clearing between them.
The moment Anamara saw her father emerge from his gateway, she screamed at him in fury, “How could you have done something so vile? I am your daughter. I have always done as you asked. I’ve loved you and always will. I thought you returned my feelings. So tell me, how could you plot to deny me the right to be with my own Life Mate, a chance to be happy in this world and the next? How could you, Father?”
Islendil ignored Anamara in the beginning, as he turned to address Amhiel, “You summoned me?”
“Yes, and although you believe your daughter is out of order, she asks the same questions I would like answers to,” Amhiel answered.
“The answer is simple. He is not good enough for a daughter of mine,” Islendil told everyone. “You are the premiere healer in the Elven Nation, what does he offer, beyond the fact he can shift into a Dragon?”
“He is the son of Kings, a great healer in his own right. He is one of the great Guardians of the Empire and is favored by the Fates. We are Life Mates, Father. How can you stand there and defy all of this because of some misguided prejudice? Life Mates know no rank. It matters not if we are matched between the strongest to the weakest. A Life Mate is a part of us, joined by the creator.”
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