Dragon King Charlie

by Scott Baron

  Leila and Charlie shared a look. There was obviously a growing connection between the two, and one couldn’t help but wonder if it hadn’t developed into something more than a victim/savior relationship at this point.

  The damsel and the assassin, Charlie mused. Sounds like some kind of warped fairy tale.

  A little tingle in his head distracted him from his train of thought.

  “Hey guys, I’ve got something I need to take care of.”

  “Go on, then. We’ll see you at dinner,” Leila said, fanning the thinning smoke out of the kitchen.

  “Great. See y’all in a little bit,” he said, then headed outside, where the air was fresh, and a giant, red dragon sat resting in the courtyard.

  “Inside the walls? Wow, you must’ve found something good to come in here.”

  Ara laughed inside his head. “Nothing so exciting, but given the events of the day, I thought perhaps my presence inside the walls might put people more at ease.”

  “And make any with ill intent think twice.”

  “Well, that, too,” she added, amusement in her eyes.

  Indeed, the giant dragon served as both a comforting reinforcement of the king’s power, as well as a not-so-subtle reminder of what could befall those who would dare move against him. The way the two often sat together so quietly, the tiny human resting comfortable and secure beside the creature that could eat him in a single bite, their bond was obvious to any who looked.

  “So, what did you find?”

  “Not much, surprisingly. I smell something, but I didn’t see more than a few campsites around the kingdom. It’s quite odd, Charlie, and I don’t like it.”

  “You’d rather we were being invaded?”

  “No, obviously, but the point is something just isn’t adding up.”

  “Keep your eyes and ears open, then. If you find something amiss, anything, let me know and I’ll send out troops to back you up.”

  “I don’t need backup, Charlie.”

  “Maybe not, but it wouldn’t hurt, and it would also make the men feel more comfortable, riding out with you having their back. It’s quite a confidence booster, you know. Having the mighty Ara on your side.”

  “Then I am glad to oblige,” she said, rising to her feet. “I’m going to make one more pass over the lands, then head abroad a bit to hunt. Hopefully all will have settled back to normal by morning.”

  She flapped her wings, quickly lifting off and soaring over the realm. Charlie hoped she was right, but there was a nagging doubt in his mind. One that told him things would most likely not be back to normal.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Much to their pleasant surprise, an entire week passed without any major incident. There had been a few more probes at the borders, and whispers of foreign men wandering the woods made their way back to the king. But for the most part, things were relatively calm.

  The thing about calm, though, is it can often be deceptive, and when Captain Sheeran’s spies finally returned with news, it was not good.

  “My men have confirmed the rumors, Sire. The lands to our west are moving against you. King Horgund is seriously considering invading.”

  Charlie glanced at Bawb. Not good news, but not entirely surprising.

  “Then it will be my first real test as king, I suppose. The men have been training hard, and I dare say their fighting skills have greatly improved.”

  “That they have, Sire,” the captain agreed. “I think they will make a good showing, whomever their opponent may be.”

  As much as he did not like having his methods questioned, the captain was a practical man, and King Charlie’s new regimen actually had made the men readier to face combat. Only a fool would let ego stand in the way of victory, so he wholeheartedly embraced the new training, pushing his men even harder, forging them into a renewed and deadly fighting force.

  “Do we know their numbers?” Bawb asked.

  “I should know shortly,” Sheeran replied. “And Sire,” he said, turning to Charlie. “The rumors persist. Tales that King Horgund has a powerful wizard on his side.”

  “A wizard? Seriously?”

  “I know, Sire, it seems unlikely, but this is what my men have reported.”

  “Very well. I trust your skill and judgment, captain. Brief the men, and increase the guard. We wouldn’t want to give them any easy opportunities, after all.”

  “Aye, Sire. It’ll be done.”

  Sheeran’s light armor clanked as he hurried off down the corridor to round up his men for a general meeting. They had a lot to prepare for, and whatever the threat was, he was not taking it lightly.

  “So,” Charlie said, turning to his Wampeh friend. “What do you make of all of this?”

  Bawb picked his teeth casually, but Charlie had known him long enough to see he was slightly on-edge.

  “The reports are accurate,” he said. “My people have heard largely the same things, both from within our borders, as well as in King Horgund’s realm.”

  Charlie was surprised. “Wait a minute. ‘Your people?’ How do you have such a robust spy network when you barely just arrived on the planet?”

  Bawb smiled. “You not only seized a throne, Charlie. You took possession of its fat coffers, as well.”

  “Hang on. Those funds were supposed to be used for the betterment of the kingdom. I earmarked them specifically for project that would help the people.”

  “And they are helping them. Namely, by making it easier for your Majesty to keep them alive in the face of an enemy with unknown forces and a potentially magical ally. Don’t get me wrong. It’s very altruistic, your plan, but a little coin well-spent goes a very long way in intelligence gathering. And as newcomers to this realm that has been one of my top priorities since our first day I this castle. I have sources in all neighboring kingdoms.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yes. It was of the utmost importance to establish an intelligence network to know our potential enemies’ thoughts. It’s amazing how little it takes to convince a man to act against his king, if he perceives it as only a small violation of fealty.”

  “Hence the coin spent.”

  “Precisely. And then you have them. Once hooked, they are compromised and become a fish that cannot hope to break free without doing great damage to themselves in the process. So they go along with whatever you wish. Thus, intelligence is gathered.”

  Charlie couldn’t help but admire his friend’s proactive measures. “I have to admit it, that’s pretty impressive, Bob. You’re always one step ahead, aren’t you?”

  “Often, but not always,” he replied. “Hence the need for caution. There are strange things afoot, and so long as we do not possess a clear picture of the machinations across the border, we are still at somewhat of a disadvantage.”

  “But their forces are still far to the west, right?”

  “Yes. For now, at least. Only light skirmish squads have been popping up along the borders. But if they feel emboldened, I fear they may press closer.”

  “I’ll ask Ara to do some low passes in that area, then. Should make them think twice about trying anything stupid.”

  “But men will always try something stupid, if they can convince themselves they stand a chance, Charlie. It seems to be a standard madness that is universal across both of our galaxies.”

  The king sighed. Bawb was right. It was probably only a matter of time before someone decided Ara wasn’t that scary. And if that happened, armed conflict would be inevitable.

  “Well, there’s not much more we can do besides prepare our people. Fortunately, things in this world move so much slower than we’re used to. Even if they do invade, we’ll know about it days in advance, leaving us plenty of time to prepare and evacuate those in their forces’ path.”

  “Yes, there is some benefit to being the most advanced beings in this world. A simple skree communication and we can accomplish in seconds what would take one of Captain Sheeran’s runners over a day.”

&nb
sp; “So, life as normal, then?”

  “For now,” the pale Wampeh replied. “But we will all need to be on our guard. It is far too easy for a lone troublemaker to slip past our watchmen. Believe me, it’s a skill I know intimately.”

  “Agreed. We’ll warn the girls tonight. And have Gwen and Thomas spread word among the staff. Sheeran’s got the troops covered. But otherwise, I guess we just carry on as usual. At least, until we have reason not to.”

  King Charlie only hoped that reason would never arrive. But he felt he would almost certainly not be so lucky.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  The queen’s guard were doubled in number when they rode out a few days later, the men far less relaxed than they usually were on her outings. Even with Baloo padding alongside her, they nevertheless scanned the countryside for the first hint of trouble.

  The ride, however, proved uneventful, and as she moved along from farm to farm, the overall contentedness of the people added to the gradual release of pressure the men were all carrying within themselves. That’s not to say they were lax in their duties. Far from it. But the feeling of electric tension buzzing through the ranks had lessened considerably.

  The fields Ara had torched were now spotted with new growth, and the other fields, having been properly rotated, were likewise looking healthy and lush.

  “Looks like they don’t need much help over here,” Leila noted to the captain of her queen’s guard. “What say you we hop over the hill and see how the farmers over in that area are faring?”

  “If her Highness will humor me with a brief respite before we depart, I will send scouts to ensure the road, and surrounding woods, are safe.”

  “Of course. I would never wish to keep your men from doing their jobs,” she said.

  The scouts took off at a quick ride, cresting the hill, then splitting off in different directions to make a quick loop of the area.

  “Come on, Baloo. We have a little time.”

  Her furry friend padded beside her, right up to the laughing children waiting near the farmhouse. They were all accustomed to him by now, and once they got over his size and fearsome teeth, they had all come to love the pup.

  “Hey, look what I have,” Leila said, pulling a large grapefruit-sized ball of tightly-woven hide strips, formed over a hollow center.

  It was something Charlie had whipped up for her one night after she had retired to bed. Baloo had been acting up a bit, his youthful energy lacking an outlet within the castle’s walls. The following morning, he presented her with his version of a dog toy. Only one that was made for one hell of a big dog.

  “You made this for me?” she said, cheeks slightly flushed.

  “Well, for Baloo, technically. But yeah. Do you like it?”

  “I do. And I just know Baloo will, too! Thank you, Charlie!” she said, giving him an enormous hug. “Baloo? Where are you, silly boy? Look what Charlie made for you!”

  He came running, tail high in the air with excitement. There was something new to play with, and while it may not have been Squirrel!, it smelled really good. Leila took him outside and hefted the ball into the air. With her lifelong outdoors-woman ways shaping her into who she was today, her toned muscles had no problem lobbing it a fair distance.

  Baloo took off in a shot, his massive feet tearing up clods of soil as he ran. He picked up the ball and shook it, chewing the hide happily as he brought it back to his Mama.

  Within five throws, he had completely destroyed it.

  “Well, shit,” Charlie said with a chuckle when he saw the mangled remains. “He really is getting strong, isn’t he?”

  “Yeah. My big strong boy,” Leila said, scratching his head.

  “Okay, I’ll make another. I think I know how to make it stronger.”

  Three mutilated balls later, Charlie finally found the trick. A metal sphere inside, holding its shape while the rawhide protected Baloo’s teeth from clanging off its surface.

  “Let’s see you pop that one!” he said with a laugh when he handed it to Leila before her ride.

  And now it seemed his design was working, though the added weight made it a bit harder for the smaller of the children to throw. Baloo, for his part, had seemed to realize the nature of the game, as well as the fact that he couldn’t play anymore if he destroyed the ball. So it was that with surprising gentleness for such massive jaws, he retrieved the toy for another toss.

  Leila wandered the farm while he played with the children. None of her men were concerned, though. The slightest call and her beast would come running, always within earshot of his mistress.

  The scouts finally returned nearly twenty minutes later.

  “Good news, Majesty. The roads are clear for safe passage if you still wish to proceed.”

  “Yes. Let’s,” she decided.

  They all mounted their horses and departed, thanking the farmer for his hospitality, as always, waving goodbye to the children as Baloo returned to his spot at her side.

  Two farms, and a great deal of warm greetings from the families living on them, later, Leila arrived at a troubled plot she was familiar with from prior outings. But where it had so recently been run-down and poorly maintained, it was now a rather impressive-looking piece of land. The soil was well-tilled, the fields harvested, and not a single crop showing signs of neglect.

  The farmer saw her coming––a queen and her company of guards was rather hard to miss––and walked from the fields to greet her as she dismounted her horse. He bowed, as the subjects were wont to do, but Leila took his dirt-covered hands in hers in a warm greeting.

  “It’s so good to see you! Look at your farm!”

  “I know. It’s been something of a miracle, truth be told.”

  “But what happened?”

  “He did,” he said, gesturing to the utterly massive man working the field. “Clay, come say hello to the queen.”

  Clay put down his tools and walked toward them.

  “I have to tell you, I don’t know what we’d have done without his help. A gift from God, I tell you.”

  “Highness,” Clay said, bowing politely. “Oh, and aren’t you a beautiful fella,” he said scratching Baloo’s cheeks, utterly unafraid of the huge canine.

  “Funny, he usually takes a little while to get comfortable with new people.”

  “Me and dogs, we ‘ave us an understanding,” Clay said with a laugh. “I’ve raised dozens since I was a wee lad.”

  She looked at the massive man and laughed. “I doubt you were ever a wee lad.”

  He chuckled. “No, I suppose not.”

  Leila figured if Baloo trusted him, so should she. So far, her pup had never steered her wrong when it came to character.

  “Our friend here says you showed up out of the blue to help him save his farm, is that correct?” she asked.

  “Aye. But not exactly out of the blue. I was working at another plot just a few miles away and heard there was a fella in need of an extra hand. Well, I’d gotten the other place in ship shape, and we were in between plantings, so I decided to come and offer my help.”

  “Generous of you.”

  “Not at all. It’s the least I could do. Farming’s given me a new lease on life. A new purpose. I just want ta make the most of my second chance.”

  “What do you mean? What was your former profession?”

  “I’m ashamed to say, but I was tha tax man’s muscle.”

  Suddenly the giant man’s identity snapped into place for the queen. Charlie had told them the story months ago of his run-in with the tax man and his lackey. It seemed his punishment had proven far more beneficial than punitive.

  “Ah, yes. I’ve heard the tale.”

  “I’m sure there were plenty of ill things said about me. And, honestly, I deserve most of ‘em.”

  “But you’ve repented of your violent ways, it seems.”

  “Aye, and none too soon. I hate thinking where me life might have taken me if I’d stayed on that path.” He looked almost innoce
nt and pure as he contemplated his unexpected change of fortune. “Highness, if you could, please thank the king for what he did. He could have thrown me in chains, or banished me, or worse. Instead, he saw what I could be. And honestly, this is tha best I’ve ever felt. It’s a life I never thought I’d want, but the king somehow knew I’d be better for it.”

  “Yes,” she said, thinking back to her own life, and how he had changed it so drastically, protecting her every step of the way. “He does tend to do that.”

  A slow and steady warmth was building in her chest. Charlie had done well by his people, even if he wasn’t exactly cut out for the job. He was a king. A true king, even if only by actions rather than birthright.

  “He’s a good man. A good king,” Clay said. “I’m sad to say I misjudged him at first. But please, m’lady. Do tell him Clay the tax man’s helper sends his thanks and warmest regards.”

  “Of course,” she replied. “In fact, I will tell him as soon as we return.” She then turned and slowly rode away, hiding the proud glistening that was swelling in her eyes.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Night came with surprising calm in the air. No reports of ruffians in the woods or armed men massing spoiled their meal. It seemed as though things had finally taken a pleasant turn for the better, which was a welcome change. Of course, that could shift in an instant, but for the moment, at least, they were enjoying the respite.

  Thomas had whipped up a simple but ample feast from the neighboring farms’ bounty, their proprietors gratefully sending a large assortment of their crops back to the castle with Leila’s guard. Her popularity with the people of the land was completely organic and unforced, and the culinary benefits they received were a welcome perk of it.

  “Wow, Thomas. This stuff smells fantastic,” Charlie said, breathing in the steaming aroma of the roasted vegetables.

  “Thank you, Sire. Though to be fair, it was the unexpected bounty the queen brought back from her outing this afternoon that is to be credited.”