by Effie Calvin
“Oh! Rude!” cried Mireille. “Carinth, you know better! He’d have never done that if Esofi was around.”
“The wilderness is getting to him,” Adale said, even though they were still within sight of the road. “He thinks he’s a wild dragon.”
“Wild dragons don’t have their breakfast brought to them by beautiful young ladies,” Mireille informed Carinth. “And they have to sleep out in the rain.”
Carinth was clearly more interested in the bag than anything Mireille had to say. Adale set him down on the ground for fear she would drop him because he would not hold still.
“How is Esofi?” asked Mireille.
“The same as yesterday, I think,” said Adale. “I’ll be glad when we reach Fenstell. She needs a distraction.”
Mireille handed Carinth another strip of dried meat. This time, he took it in his front claws and chewed it.
“You’ve met Esofi’s mother, haven’t you?” asked Adale.
“Only once,” Mireille admitted. “She was there when they spoke to me to see if I was suitable to accompany Esofi to Ieflaria. I did not think I would actually be selected. My parents are Baron and Baroness of Aelora. Not terribly…prestigious. But I suppose not many other girls wanted to make such a long trip. Her majesty didn’t say very much to me, and I was glad for that. She is very frightening.”
“I picked that up, yes,” said Adale.
“She is very admired in Rhodia. In all of Thiyra, really. Her blessing is extremely powerful, and the elves know not to cross her.”
Elves, again. Adale had questions about elves. But that could wait.
“She has this terribly intimidating air. Even if you didn’t know her reputation, you’d sense it. Like an archpriestess or an eagle. And she’s very tall for a Rhodian woman—but not for an Ieflarian, I suppose. If she didn’t have Talcia’s magic, I’m sure she’d have the blood rage from Reygmadra.”
“She’s violent?”
Mireille blanched. “I didn’t mean it like that! It’s just…she’s…you have to understand; in Rhodia, it’s different—”
“It’s all right,” said Adale. “I’ve been piecing it together.”
“I should not have said anything.” Mireille wrung her hands. “I’ve only met her once; what do I know? Don’t take anything I say too seriously, please.”
“I won’t tell anyone you said anything,” Adale promised. “I only want to protect Esofi. I’m not trying to start trouble.”
“I don’t see why Esofi is so anxious to meet her. She’s done very well since she came here. She married you and ended the dragon crisis and the Ieflarian people seem fond of her. Queen Gaelle should not find any cause for complaint.”
“You don’t have any idea why she might have come?”
Mireille shook her head. “The journey to Ieflaria is so long. I worry something terrible must have happened in Rhodia, for her to have come herself. Is it possible all of the princes and princesses died, and Esofi is now her sole heir?”
“That would be inconvenient,” said Adale. There would be no ruling Rhodia from Birsgen. Esofi would have to appoint someone to rule in her stead, or she and Adale would be forced to part ways.
“But if that were the case, we would have heard by now, wouldn’t we? The couriers would be speaking of nothing else.”
“I suppose there’s no point in trying to guess,” said Adale.
Mireille fed the rest of the meat to Carinth, one piece at a time. She was just finishing when Esofi emerged from the tent. Her make-up had been carefully applied, as usual, but Adale could still see the exhaustion in her face.
“Let’s get you something to eat,” said Adale, pulling Esofi into her arms.
“I’m not hungry,” said Esofi. She had not been hungry yesterday either. She shook free of Adale’s grasp and went to Carinth, resting one hand on his head.
“You have to at least have some tea before we go,” insisted Adale.
Esofi did not answer. She only picked up Carinth, humming a little.
“I’ll get you some,” said Adale, trying her best to ignore the unease rising in her stomach.
When Adale returned with a teacup, Esofi was standing near the trees, staring into the dark forest and singing softly to Carinth in Rhodian. The trees smelled lovely, and Adale could see colorful birds flitting through the sunbeams.
Adale didn’t know more than a handful of words in Rhodian, so she had no idea what the song was about. But it sounded like a lullaby.
Adale did not think she’d ever felt so disconnected from Esofi before. It was as though there was an invisible barrier between them, and Adale did not know how to overcome it. She wanted to respect Esofi’s apparent need for space, but at the same time, she wanted Esofi to know everything would be so much easier if she just talked to her honestly and openly. In some ways, it was worse than a fight, because at least with a fight, Adale could identify where things had gone wrong.
Maybe it would have been better if they’d stayed at Birsgen. They would have found out what Gaelle wanted by now. Adale was starting to believe that Esofi’s worrying was far worse than whatever Gaelle had come to say.
“I’ll leave you alone if you just drink this,” said Adale.
“I don’t want you to leave me alone.” Esofi’s voice was faint.
“Then I’ll leave you alone if you don’t drink it.”
Esofi looked puzzled. “What?”
“It was a joke!” Adale pulled the teacup closer to herself as Carinth attempted to stick his nose in it. “Captain Lehmann says we should be at Fenstell by noon.”
Esofi set Carinth back down on the ground. “Make sure he doesn’t run into the trees,” she said and took the teacup from Adale.
Adale crouched down to Carinth’s level. “Are you being good?” she asked him. He unfurled his wings and then folded them down again. “Maybe you’ll get to meet another dragon today. How about that?”
“Don’t promise him that,” said Esofi. “I need to see if he’s a suitable influence first.”
As usual, there was no reliable way of knowing if Carinth understood her words, but Adale added, “If he’s a suitable influence. Can’t have him teaching you bad habits at your impressionable age. That’s my job.”
Esofi laughed into her tea, and Adale grinned hearing it.
True to Captain Lehmann’s prediction, they arrived in Fenstell at noon. The camp was located outside of the town, higher up on the seaside cliffs and hopefully far enough away that the residents would not find themselves unduly imposed upon.
The camp was more fortress than camp now. It had a high wooden wall around it, constructed from tall Ieflarian pines. Guards had been posted at the entrance and at several checkpoints on the road leading up to it. It was cold up on the cliffs, the whistling sea winds making everyone pull their cloaks around tighter. Even in the carriage, buffered from the winds, Carinth was grumbling. He had never liked colder weather.
“Do we have any of his shirts?” asked Adale.
“They’re in the luggage,” said Esofi. Carinth had several knitted garments, all made especially for him. The trend had been started by a castle maid, who had given Carinth his first shirt with two long slits in the back during his first winter. Adale had been sure he’d hate it—he was a dragon, not a lapdog—but Carinth had worn it happily until he’d outgrown it.
These days, Carinth had as many shirts as Esofi had dresses, all of them gifts. And not just from the maids either. Her mother’s waiting lady, Countess Amala, had been one of the first noblewomen to sew something for Carinth. And as Adale knew, once the queen’s ladies started doing something, it wouldn’t be long before everyone else was following suit.
The carriage rolled into the camp, and the gates closed behind them. Adale stepped out first and turned to help Esofi. They both looked around together, evaluating their surroundings.
It really was more of a fortress than a camp. None of the structures were temporary, they’d all been built from the same
Ieflarian pine as the outer wall. But before Adale could consider this further, two people, a man and a woman, approached them.
The man was Commander Gero, from the Ieflarian military, appointed by her parents to oversee the encampment. The woman was unfamiliar to her, but Adale supposed this must be Lieutenant Helaine Vaseur.
Like all of the Rhodian women Adale had met, Lieutenant Vaseur had light hair and she was not very tall. She wore a midnight-blue robe embellished with complex silver embroidery that reflected her advanced rank.
As soon as they were near enough, the woman began to speak to Esofi in the Rhodian language, barely acknowledging Adale at all. Esofi nodded along, frowning a little.
“So, where is the dragon?” asked Adale, tired of being left out. “And how big is he?”
Lieutenant Vaseur frowned at Adale as though she could not believe she’d dared to address her, and Adale felt herself immediately grow defensive in turn. But Commander Gero said, “He travels between the camp here and the forest to the west to hunt. I am certain he will return by nightfall, Crown Princess. We are grateful that you have come so quickly.”
“Do you believe that he really wants to negotiate with us?” asked Adale. “Or is this just some kind of trick?”
“I…cannot say, Crown Princess. But his claim appears to be legitimate. As for his size…” Gero looked down at Carinth, who had become distracted by the silver clasp on Helaine’s cloak. “Larger than this one, certainly.”
To Adale’s shock, Helaine removed the clasp and handed it over to Carinth. He accepted it eagerly and turned it over in his tiny claws to taste it.
“Oh, you don’t have to do that—” Adale began. But Helaine paid her no mind.
“We have a room for you in the main citadel,” said Commander Gero, gesturing to the largest structure in the camp. “I’m afraid it’s not much. But you understand our circumstances.”
“I’m sure it’s fine,” said Esofi. “By chance, has a courier come for me?”
“I am afraid not, Princess. But I will send for you if one arrives.”
Commander Gero’s assessment wasn’t incorrect—the room that had been set aside for them was modest, but Adale had been expecting something like it. There was a single bed, two wardrobes, and a writing desk. It had no ornaments or decoration, and only a single small window that let in a little bit of daylight.
Esofi did not seem to be troubled by their accommodations either. She was sorting through one of the valises that had been brought in by a footman, searching for one of Carinth’s knitted shirts.
Eventually she found one made from lamb’s wool, dyed green, and called to Carinth, who allowed her to put it over his head without complaint. Adale watched as Esofi helped him get his wings through the long slits on the back, for Carinth would fuss if they were not allowed to be free.
“What do you think the dragon will be like?” asked Adale.
“I’m not sure,” admitted Esofi. “I only hope he isn’t holding a grudge.”
“What, for killing the Emperor? I think he should be grateful for that. Now he doesn’t have anyone forcing him to fly into danger.”
The most unsettling thing Adale and Esofi had discovered during their research was the extent of the Emperor’s power over his fellow dragons. The orders he issued were not followed out of fear or respect, but because there was magic in them, a sort of compulsion that the other dragons were apparently unable to resist.
Adale and Esofi speculated that dragons, known for their independence and solitary natures, were not inclined to band together in the face of an outside threat. Commanding a large group of them would probably be something like herding cats, so the Emperor’s special ability was a necessity for the survival of the species.
But the most recent Emperor had used his ability aggressively, commanding his “subjects” to fly to Ieflarian towns and settlements and burn them to the ground. When Esofi finally had the opportunity to speak with him, he’d claimed that his plan was to rid the world of Men in retaliation for stealing Talcia’s favor away.
Esofi had tried her best to reason with him, but in the end, the Emperor got the fight he’d come for.
Adale would have never said it aloud, but she wondered at the fact that Esofi could face fully grown dragons without flinching, but the idea of her own mother coming for a visit was enough to make her flee the capital.
Esofi fell asleep shortly after that, with Carinth settled beside her for warmth. Adale was inclined to explore the camp and perhaps even the town, but she found herself unwilling to leave Esofi’s side. She wanted to be here when Esofi woke.
So, lacking anything better to do, she lay down beside Esofi and Carinth. Exhausted from the journey and worrying about Esofi, she was asleep within minutes.
She awoke a few hours later to someone knocking on the door and nearly fell out of bed. “Just a moment!” she called, struggling to readjust her clothing. Esofi was also up, rearranging her corset and her hair quickly. Once she was finished, Adale pulled the door open and found one of the camp’s guards standing there.
“Princess,” he said. “The dragon has arrived.”
Esofi picked up her skirts and moved forward. “Wait here,” she told Adale. “I will—”
“What? No, I’m going with you.”
Esofi sighed. “I need you to watch Carinth.”
Adale opened her mouth to tell her to make Mireille do it, but the girl was nowhere to be found. So instead she turned to the guard. “I’ll give you five crowns if you watch over Carinth for me.”
“I would be honored,” said the guard quickly, his face lighting up.
“Fine.” Esofi seemed to be too exhausted to argue. “Don’t feed him anything, no matter what he tells you, and keep an eye to your pockets.”
Adale had thought that perhaps the dragon would meet them outside the camp, away from all the guards and high walls. But when they stepped outside, he was the first thing she saw, crouched in the middle of the camp and nearly as large as the citadel itself.
His scales were pale silver-gray, much lighter than Carinth’s stormy blue. He curled his tail around himself and laid it over his front claws, in the same way Carinth frequently did. As Adale and Esofi approached, he brought his head low to the ground, near to eye level with them.
“Greetings,” he said, his voice surprisingly smooth. “I am honored that you have come to meet with me.”
Esofi wasn’t reacting yet, but Adale could still see the tension in her face and shoulders. She was still waiting for an attack, but her voice was very calm as she said, “I am told you are hoping to negotiate peace between our people?”
“That is correct,” he said. “I wish to tell you what has transpired on the Silver Isles since you defeated our Emperor. I expect you will be surprised.”
“Is there a new Emperor?” asked Esofi.
“No. We are not…” Ivanedi seemed to be struggling to explain. “We do not require an Emperor, usually.”
Esofi did not say anything.
“Many of us now fear that you will lead your soldiers into our islands to destroy us,” Ivanedi went on. “As revenge, or perhaps only to protect your own.”
“I am not inclined to do so unless I am given no other recourse.” Esofi’s tone was still calm and neutral, but her eyes were uncharacteristically hard. “If you are without an Emperor, who has sent you here?”
“I was chosen for this task by majority after we conferred amongst ourselves. We have no ruler, and I doubt we will again for generations.”
“I would like very much to trust you,” said Esofi. “But you have to realize…after all that has happened between our races, it is difficult for me.”
“I do not blame you for your hesitation.” Ivanedi dipped his head low. “I cannot promise that none of my kind will ever encroach on your lands again. But without an Emperor, there will be no coordinated attacks as there were in recent years.”
“Can you really guarantee that if you are without a lea
der?” asked Esofi.
“It must seem strange to you,” said Ivanedi. “I understand that Men dislike it when they have no one to follow. But that is not our way.”
“And what do you ask in return?”
Adale looked at Esofi in surprise. To her ears, it sounded like the dragon was pleading for his own survival. Why would Esofi offer him more than that?
“Zethe—our last Emperor—led us to believe that destroying Men would win us Mother’s favor. We now realize that he was mistaken. But I am told that you spoke to him on the night he was killed. You claimed you could help us earn our magic back from Mother.”
Esofi relaxed a little, and for the first time, Adale saw the hint of a smile on her face. “If I could ensure that my people would be safe, I would be honored to aid you with this.”
“Esofi!” whispered Adale, horrified. “You can’t—”
“This is for the safety of our people, Adale.”
“You can’t promise the safety of our people while you’re putting a new weapon in the hands of their worst enemies!”
“But they won’t be our enemies anymore.”
“You don’t know that! You can’t promise that! And even if you could, don’t you know what the Ieflarian people would do if they heard about you trying to help the dragons get their magic back? We’d have rioting!”
Too late, guilt and regret bubbled up in Adale’s stomach. She had been too harsh, too exuberant. She’d embarrassed Esofi in front of a stranger. She should have kept her mouth shut until they were alone. Why hadn’t she just stayed with Carinth? “Esofi, I—I’m sorry—” she began.
“Do not apologize. There is truth in your words,” said Ivanedi. Esofi looked up at him in surprise. “I am not offended. I knew when I came here that I may have been asking too much, too soon. That you have not attempted to kill me on sight is better than many of us expected.”
But he’d come anyway. Did Ivanedi’s own life mean so little to him? Adale wished she could ask him without seeming rude. But she’d already embarrassed herself once today. It would be better if she remained silent for the remainder of the meeting.
