Invasion and Dragons

by Jekka Jones

  Liliana laughed. Landon felt his face heat. “What’s so funny?”

  “Only rogue dragons eat humans, Landon—the ones who, like Sri’Lanca, have lost their tamer.” Liliana corked her first canteen, put it aside, and grabbed another. “For the most part, dragons keep to themselves and help the occasional human who is lost or waylaid by thieves. I heard of dragons sometimes befriending humans, but never to the extent of a bond forming.”

  “A bond?”

  Liliana nodded. “It’s a force that binds humans and dragons together, far stronger than marriage or loyalty to your country, and has more violent consequences when broken. Dragons know that the bond is for life, and therefore do not make taming easy. They also enjoy humiliating humans. The prouder the human, the more fun the dragon has in the victory.”

  “And if a human does outsmart the dragon,” Landon said, comprehension dawning on him, “then he earns that dragon’s respect.” His thoughts flitted to that rainy night so long ago when Liliana and Ti’Luthin had agreed to desert to Nircana. Ti’Luthin had said a bond was formed between the human and dragon through respect and magic. “He’s proved to the dragon that he is an equal. Is that how taming works? A man, or woman, proves to the dragon they are worthy to be their . . . their, um—”

  “Companion,” said Liliana. “Help-meet. Comrade. Partner. There are a lot of words to describe it, but the only one that comes close in my opinion is family. Such as a father, brother, sister, etcetera.”

  “Is that how Ti’Luthin feels to you?” Landon asked, removing the filled canteen. He put that one aside and grabbed another. “Like family?”

  Liliana nodded. “I do not regret my decision to tame him. He has done nothing but love me and protect me.” She corked her canteen and stared at it, her eyes distant. “It is thanks to him I am still alive. Wastelands, he probably takes pride in knowing that. I really would be dead if he had not decided to bond with me.”

  Landon perked at those words. “Decided? You mean, the dragon decides whether or not to be tamed?”

  “Of course, Landon.” Liliana picked up another canteen. “Freewill is a gift to all sentient beings, be they dragon or human. A man has every right to choose his own path, and so it is with dragons. Only one out of a hundred boys succeed. How would you feel if you challenged a dragon, proved to it that you were worthy of its bond, and it still refused you?”

  “I’d feel worthless,” Landon replied truthfully. “It would be hard to face my folks and tell them I failed after doing everything right.” He frowned. “What’s the consequence if you don’t tame a dragon?”

  “Nothing,” said Liliana. “The fact that you tried, that you were willing to leave home and family to be on your own for a month, is enough to initiate you into adulthood. However, the reward is great if the boy succeeds. When a boy tames a dragon, he and his dragon then join the Dragon Guard, which are the army commanders. Very much like the samurai of Tsuregi, or the Borikans of Menrye.”

  “They pretty much become nobles and leaders of a powerful army,” said Landon. He finished off the water in one canteen before filling it. “So Dre’Goran has a dragon, along with all of his nobles?”

  Liliana nodded. “A silver-colored dragoness he tamed after baffling her in a riddle contest. My uncle hatched Sri’Lanca and tamed him that way. But do you see why some boys try and some don’t? Only those who are ambitious, those who want to make a name for themselves, challenge dragons.”

  “Dragons can be tamed as babies?” Landon asked, surprised.

  “It’s one of the easiest methods,” Liliana replied. “A lot of boys try to steal a dragon egg from a dragoness because almost all dragonets—the baby dragons—bond to their caretaker. I have only heard of a few cases where the baby didn’t bond to the human who hatched it.”

  Landon thought of Tan’Loraen, and it wasn’t difficult to picture the man as an ambitious teenager slipping an egg from a nest—if dragons had nests. “Are there other ways besides stealing and hatching eggs?” he asked, reaching for his last canteen.

  “Of course. Like I said, hatching a dragon is the easiest and more popular route, but there’s challenging the dragon to a contest of riddles, completing a quest of the dragon’s choosing, or stealing a prized possession from its treasure hoard.”

  “Dragons have treasure?” Landon blurted, imagining Sri’Lanca sitting atop a pile of gold and jewels with a crown on his head.

  “Some do. Ti’Luthin lived in a network of caves rich with opals and tourmaline, but he wasn’t as obsessed with gold as most dragons. I wanted to riddle with him, but he wanted me to complete a quest. After a bit of arguing, I accepted his quest.”

  “What did you do?” Landon asked, curious.

  “I had to find a long-lost jewel and present it to the most powerful person in the world.” Liliana propped her last canteen against a rock with the others. “It was called the Queen’s Opal—a giant, polished opal the size of a goose egg. I managed to find it, and I gave it to the emperor’s wife.”

  “You mean the queen?”

  Liliana snorted, her expression bitter. “Queen? I’m talking about Dagnor, Landon, and you know how the women are treated. Dre’Goran’s wife is just that—a wife. She has no power except to give him children, refill his cup, and bring his meal to the table.” Liliana’s eyes became distant. “She is married to the most powerful man on earth and she stands in the corner while he holds court. I gave her the Queen’s Opal after forcing the emperor and his entire court to swear by Balaam’s wings that they would protect the bearer of the opal with their lives. I then hailed her as Queen of Dragons, and told her that I was her loyal subject.”

  A cold lump of pity slipped into Landon’s stomach. That was why Liliana had been so hesitant to desert to Nircana. When she talked about helping the women of Dagnor, she meant the emperor’s wife. Landon didn’t have much respect for the nobility, but he understood the implications of addressing Dre’Goran’s wife as a monarch. What better way to help the women of Dagnor than to acknowledge an emperess? Landon stared at Liliana with newfound respect, understanding for the first time what Morgan saw in her.

  “Do you think they’ve kept their word?” Landon asked after a while. He pushed the cork into the last canteen but made no move to gather them up. Liliana also didn’t move.

  “Yes.”

  “Er—no offense, but how?”

  “Because dragons will not lie, Landon Dayn,” said Liliana, meeting his eyes. “Dragons will not utter a single fib. To do so is dishonorable and vile before Balaam. A dragon would sooner fly to the frozen wastelands and die than tell a lie.”

  “I still don’t understand. How does that apply to the emperor and his nobles?” Why was she telling him, and him alone, all this? So far, it had very little to do with him and Sri’Lanca.

  “Part of the taming bond is that the human will be less inclined to lie. It’s a part of the dragon’s nature that imbues itself into the human. And just like a dragon would never speak a lie, a tamer would never make a promise he could not keep. To make a promise but—”

  “To never keep it would be a lie,” Landon finished. “You made Dre’Goran and his court promise to protect the queen with ther lives.” For the first time in his life, Landon said that word without the usual teasing or disgusted tone. “You made him, the Guard, and all the dragons acknowledge her as a ruler, not a wife.” He gave a low whistle. “Liliana, you have a lot of nerve.”

  Liliana smiled. “So Ti’Luthin keeps telling me.”

  Landon became thoughtful. “So if a dragon can’t lie,” Landon began slowly, “what does Ti’Luthin say if you’re wearing a horrendous dress and he doesn’t want to hurt your feelings?”

  Liliana burst out laughing again. “Dragons may not be able to lie, but they are more tactful than humans. They know how to speak the truth in a sensitive way. You saw it that night when we joined Nircana. Ti’Luthin always hinted that a gold badge would never suit me. He said it would clash with my hair.”


  “Yeah, gold doesn’t go well with you,” Landon said with a grin. “But that’s good to know. I’ll be sure to direct Morgan to Ti’Luthin next time he wants courting advice.”

  Liliana rolled her eyes. “Honestly, I don’t know why you two are friends. He drives me mad.”

  “I ask myself that question all the time.” Landon said, laughing. He fingered one of the canteens and asked, “Have you told Morgan about dragon taming?”

  “A little. He mostly asked how I tamed Ti’Luthin. I think he doesn’t want to frighten me off by asking for too many details, but he likes the idea. He tells me all the names he would give his dragon, as if a dragon were a dog to be named.” Liliana shook her head, yet her voice was affectionate.

  Landon thought this over. “Then why are you telling me?” he blurted. “I don’t mean to be rude or ungrateful—because I’m not—but why?”

  “Sri’Lanca,” Liliana replied simply. “I felt, in fairness to you, that you should know what happens between dragon and human. As of right now, a rogue dragon is after you and that is causing the Dragon Guard a lot of grief. They are trying to keep Sri’Lanca from killing you, round up your—our people, and war with the other nations. They are fighting too many fronts and even with as many Dragon Guards that have been brought West-side, it’s proving more difficult than anticipated.”

  “That’s what they get for messing with Nircanians,” said Landon, proudly. “Shall we get going? We have,” he did a swift count, “twelve full canteens ready to be drunk dry.”

  “In a moment. There is . . .” Liliana licked her lips. “There is one more way a dragon can be tamed. The boys who are most desperate to have a dragon try this route, and the list of those who succeeded is very, very small.” She paused, watching Landon apprehensively.

  “Liliana,” said Landon with a chuckle, “you look like you’re about to give swallow a pinecone. Stop looking at me like I’m going to hit you.” Again, he wondered why she was telling him this in the first place.

  Liliana took a deep breath. “Dragons can also be tamed through battle. A human can challenge the dragon to a fight, but before they begin, the dragon promises to acknowledge the human as its tamer if he wins.” She paused, waiting for a response but Landon stayed silent. “They battle, not to the death, but to the incapacitation of the other. If the human comes out victor, then the dragon fulfills its promise. The dragon accepts defeat, the bond forms, and they walk away as tamer and dragon.”

  Landon’s stomach clenched, and he was glad he was sitting down. He wanted to look away, but Liliana’s green eyes kept him riveted on her words.

  “Hatching a dragon is the easiest way to tame,” Liliana continued, her voice barely audible over the gurgling spring, “but not always successful. Whereas defeating a dragon is almost impossible, but guarantees a tamed dragon if the human wins.”

  “Liliana, what are you saying?” Landon could barely get the words out. He already understood what she implied, but he didn’t want to admit it.

  Liliana’s gazed at him with pity. “I think you know, Landon. Myra told me everything that happened, every detail and every word spoken when Sri’Lanca attacked you . . . and after you defeated him.”

  “Exactly!” Landon said, desperate. “He attacked me! It never crossed my mind to strut in front of Sri’Lanca and call him out to a fight. Let alone force him to make a promise!”

  “All the same, Landon, you defeated him. You may not have done so in the traditional timeframe that the boys are given, but you defeated him.” Liliana stood, stepped over the bit of water separating them, and sat beside him. “I know this is difficult, but you must listen to me. You incapacitated Sri’Lanca with the Wizard’s Seal and then refused to fight him. No, you promised him. Myra said he screamed insults at you, hoping to goad you into a battle, but you refused. You turned your back and walked away.”

  “I did not tame a dragon, Liliana. You said yourself that the human challenges the dragon and I did no such thing. I’m not even sixteen!”

  “Dragon taming isn’t restricted by age, Landon. We just have been following that tradition for several hundred years. A thousand years ago, dragon taming was completely different. I believe women used to tame dragons. A lot of the ancient scrolls have feminine names listed as tamers. I asked the priests, but they denied it, saying that names change gender over time—and that I should put it out of my mind. There are numerous accounts of Dagnorians young and old taming dragons to fight the wizards. But I think it wasn’t always the humans seeking out the dragons. I think the dragons used to seek out humans—challenged humans to forge the bond.”

  “And you don’t believe that anymore?” Landon accused. He didn’t care if he was being rude. Liliana was delusional!

  “I don’t know what to believe, Landon,” she shot back. “I defected from my home country because the man who protected me all my life is dead, and his dragon may have bonded with his killer. There are times where I wish I could hate you, but I have forgiven you. I know you didn’t mean it anymore than bonding with Sri’Lanca.”

  “Sri’Lanca and I aren’t bonded, Liliana,” said Landon, anger rising. “Why would I even want to bond with a dragon?”

  “For extra strength and to draw closer to Balaam, to God!” Liliana exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. “If these angels you believe existed on the earth, it would be the same thing! You can get by on your own, but there is strength in companionship—strength in numbers to overcome evil and temptation—strength to do good!”

  “So conquering a nation is a good thing?” Landon asked quietly. “Is that getting the Dagnorians and dragons closer to Balaam?”

  “In the views of the Dagnorians, yes,” Liliana answered, her eyes blazing. “Why? Because of the dragonslayers. Any attack or show of power on the West is to avenge those dragons that were murdered so long ago.”

  “And burning an entire nation, an entire culture, was the will of Balaam? Did Balaam tell your emperor to hold a Seeress to her word?” Landon asked, not caring how malicious he sounded.

  Liliana stared at him aghast. “Don’t play the devil’s advocate with me, Landon Dayn. I am not excusing the actions of Dagnor. I am simply trying to make you understand the benefits of taming. Besides,” her voice softened, “you told me yourself the circumstances behind Hondel’s destruction, how Sayre and Dre’Goran worked together to manipulate Hondel’s king and Dagnor. Do you think the emperor’s dragon knows? Or Sri’Lanca? That knowledge would crush them, Landon. To manipulate and deceive is just like lying. The bond may compel a human to be more truthful, but it is still within the human’s power to lie.”

  “Your uncle brought my father into Dagnor! He was accused of stealing a dragon’s egg!”

  “I am not excusing my uncle,” Liliana snapped. “He was not perfect. I know that far more than you do. But he did his best to protect me when the entire Dragon Guard wanted me dead or thrown into a brothel.” She gazed at him, her expression fierce. “I thank Balaam every night that my uncle loved me enough to create the position of cadet and thereby grant me a small measure of safety.”

  Landon wanted to argue, wanted to shout that she was wrong, but he couldn’t. The Dagnorians were protecting the creatures who gave them knowledge and wisdom. To them, the dragons were their freedom, even if women were not allowed to have that bond. That meant the Dagnor-Menrye alliance that Sayre was so proud of was not as concrete as she thought. Dre’Goran would turn on her if she so much as pointed a knife at a dragon.

  Landon glared at Liliana for a few seconds, then looked away. “Fine. I’m sorry for slandering your uncle’s name.”

  “You are forgiven.”

  “But I still think you have it all wrong. A dragon can’t be tamed twice.” He said, desperate. He didn’t know if that was true, but it had to be.

  “I don’t know, Landon,” Liliana said, folding her arms. She looked uncertain. “This sort of thing has never happened before. Dagnorians have been sharing the same country with d
ragons for centuries, but we don’t know everything about the tamer’s bond. The holy books talk about how the bond is formed and the blessings it brings, but that’s it. There is no mention of a dragon being tamed twice in its lifetime. Those who had the bond severed either kill themselves or are killed by the Dragon Guard.”

  “And the Wizard’s Seal?” Landon blurted. “You don’t think for one second that it messed up his brain somehow? Because I’m pretty sure it did.”

  Liliana sighed. “The Wizard Seal did not damage his brain any more than it damaged you. If that were true, then he wouldn’t have come after you, screaming for a rematch. Do you know where Sri’Lanca went after your fight?”

  “Bird-watching.”

  Liliana gave Landon an icy glare, and when she spoke it trembled with frustration. “We don’t know, and that worries the Dragon Guard,” she said levelly. “For days after Judan’s death, Sri’Lanca had been ravaging the country looking for you. He was spotted burning a stretch of forest on the edge of the grassland several days ago. As the dragons approached, he took to the air screaming as though he was being tortured. The dragons pursued him but they lost him in the dark. They expected him to turn up the next day, or the day after, but he didn’t. No one has seen him since that incident. He has vanished like a ghost.”

  Liliana looked at him, waiting for a response. Landon folded his arms and glared at her. “Maybe he went back to Dagnor,” he suggested, for the sake of deterring her gaze.

  “I don’t think so, and neither does the Dragon Guard. Dre’Goran suspects it has something to do with you. He thinks you may have used the Wizard’s Seal—”

  “Well he’s got one thing right,” Landon muttered.

  “And you forced Sri’Lanca to commit suicide,” Liliana continued, ignoring Landon’s comment. “Which is why the Dagnorians are joining the Menrians as we speak. Dre’Goran hopes that Sayre or Niklas—or both—will have some insight into the matter. Ti’Luthin and I are the only ones who think you may have tamed Sri’Lanca.”