He heard the scream of the bird again. The man looked up and his grip loosened just a little. Patria took advantage of the momentary reprieve, gasping desperately for air. He heard a thud before the man fell forward and rolled off him. Standing over him now was a beautiful woman with light brown hair and green eyes. He stared into those eyes for a moment, lost in their beauty. The huge bird landed on her shoulder. He tried to speak, but his tongue betrayed him. He realized then that his body felt extremely heavy. He stared into those green eyes, fighting the sleep that tried to overtake him, fighting for just a few more seconds to gaze upon her. Soon the sleep took over, and he was lost again.
The next time he woke, it was nearly dark. He was lying on the ground near a small fire. He looked around and found that there were two soldiers sitting near him. The woman with the green eyes sat across the fire. He sat up slowly, scanning the area. He wanted to speak with her, but he had to figure out what was going on. He forced himself to take his eyes off of the beautiful woman whose sun-kissed skin reflected in the orange firelight.
“Where is everyone else?” he asked, looking over to the two soldiers.
“Paul and Raufel are holding the perimeter. The four of us are the only ones who are still alive. It would likely be fewer of us still if the lady and her falcon had not come to our assistance,” the soldier said, motioning back toward the woman.
Now he had the opportunity to speak with her. His body was weak, but not nearly as weak as it had been earlier. “Thank you for your assistance, my lady. I am King Patria. May I ask who you are?”
The woman stared at him for a moment before answering. “My name is Selina, Your Highness. It was my pleasure to help. I only wish I could have done more. I saw them sitting in wait and was trying to make my way around to warn anyone coming from Patria. By the time I saw you coming from the other direction they were already about to attack. I came as fast as I could. Your men fought well. It is amazing that any of us survived. I have always heard that the Black Dragons never fail. Your men are amazing fighters, Your Highness.”
“Your bird is amazing as well. It saved my life. If it wasn’t for that bird, I’d be dead right now. How can I repay you?” he asked.
“Your Highness, I do not need to be repaid. I did what I did because it needed to be done. It is what anyone would have done,” Selina said.
“If only that was true, Gegend would be a much better place. If you would at least stay with us until we are back to Patria. The road is obviously very dangerous right now, and I would like to at least have a chance to thank you properly.”
Selina looked at the weak king and his two guards. Even being as sick as he was, he sat on the log regally. Battered and beaten, he maintained an air of authority. Looking at him now, she realized how handsome he was. His hair was a mess and a single curl was matted to his forehead. His face was gaunt, but through all of that, she could see honest eyes. She believed that he was a powerful man, but he didn’t relish the power. The weight of it sat heavily on his shoulders. She realized she wanted to learn more about him.
She smiled and bowed to the king. “I will stay with you until you are back safe in your palace. I can’t abandon a king in need. The citizens of Patria would never forgive me.”
He nodded back to her. “And how can I thank your bird for its valiant defense of me?”
“She is a Falcon. Her name is Jaya. I am a falconer. I train and hunt using falcons. I have raised Jaya since she was hatched. She is nine years old now. She is as fierce and loyal as they come.”
Jaya must have suspected Selina was talking about her, because she raised her head and started puffing out her chest.
Selina smiled. “Now she’s showing off.”
The falcon was very large, nearly two feet tall. Her chest was light brown with little black speckles covering it. The tip of her curved beak was black and it faded to a gray, almost white, at the base. The area around the beak was gray, and the ring around the eyes was a light gray that was almost blue.
Patria stared at the magnificent bird with fascination. This beautiful creature had saved his life. “She is beautiful. If there is any way I can thank either of you, please let me know.”
“I will, Your Highness.”
Patria turned to the two guards. “How long has it been since the last attack?”
“Six days. The poison should have killed you. The Patria blood is not so easily overcome, it seems. We were able to get some broth down, but you rejected as much as you held down, Your Highness. I am surprised you are able to even sit up after not eating for nearly a week. You truly are made of resilient stuff, Your Highness.”
Now that they had mentioned it, his stomach began to growl angrily. The soldiers seemed to understand his sudden change in demeanor. “Your Highness, the rabbit soup should be almost ready, and we have some dried venison, if you would like some of that,” the soldier who had been speaking explained.
Patria nodded his agreement, and the guard handed him some dried venison. He chewed on the tough meat while he waited for the soup to finish cooking. A short time later, the soldiers scooped out portions into bowls. They ate theirs hastily and then headed out to relieve their counterparts patrolling around the camp.
Patria looked across the fire at the beautiful woman with the green eyes. “Thank you again for helping us. My men have been through a lot. If it weren’t for you, less would have survived. I have lost too many men already on this trip. I won’t let their sacrifices be made in vain. The Black Dragons are targeting us because we forced them out of Patria. Now they are trying to eliminate me so that they can regain their position of power in the city. They will be targeting the new king of Portwein as well. We are working together to eliminate the Black Dragons. They are also targeting my cousin, which is part of the reason I am rushing back to Patria ahead of my army. She is helping take care of the city while I am away, and she is also the wife to King Stoneheart, the king of the dwarves.”
She stared at him intensely. “You are fighting a war against the Black Dragons?”
Patria nodded. “We are.”
“Well, if you want to repay me, let me stay in Patria and help,” she responded, all the levity gone from her voice.
Patria eyed her curiously. He knew she was a capable fighter, but there was something odd about the way she had just completely changed. “What is your grudge against the Black Dragons?”
Her face tightened and for a moment he didn’t think she was going to answer him. Then she looked up into his eyes. “The Black Dragons killed my brothers. When I was a young girl, I lived in Selfsom. My brothers refused to do something for the Black Dragons and were murdered for their resistance. My mother took me and fled the city. I want to stop the Black Dragons. I am not looking for revenge. I wanted to make them all pay for a long time, but I have moved past that. I want to stop the Black Dragons so that they cannot do to anyone else what they did to my family.”
Her story sparked something in his mind, and he became curious. He wondered if it could be true. “You are her, aren’t you?”
She stared at him for a moment. The fact that she did not instantly respond was all the answer he needed. “Do you really want to make a difference?”
“I do,” she answered.
“Then come back with me. Reveal yourself and together we can bring your father to our cause. You are the heir to Selfsom. If Selfsom stands with Patria and Portwein, then we will surely be able to bring Kampar and Ambar to our cause. If the five main cities can stand united against the Black Dragons, they will have no place to hold up in. They are already severely weakened. The assassins they have sent were untrained men, likely trying to earn their place in the guild. If all the cities stand united, we can prevent them from rebuilding and leave them a remnant of what they once were.” He watched her as he spoke, but she gave away nothing.
She listened intently and when he finished she sat silently considering everything he had said.
He waited patiently for her t
o respond.
“I have not seen my father in fourteen years,” she finally responded. “How would he recognize me as the twelve-year-old girl he once knew? What if he does not acknowledge me as his daughter?”
Patria looked at her seriously. “I am sure that you will be able to tell him things that no one but his daughter would know. I am sure that if you were to meet with him he would be excited to have his daughter back. If you would like, we can wait to announce you. I can send your father an invitation explaining everything. He will surely come, and we can let him announce the return of his daughter.”
She stared at him for a moment before responding. “I would like to see my father again. He is all I have left.”
He wanted to ask about her mother, but she was already offering up a lot of information that made her uncomfortable. He did not want to push her too far. He didn’t want to hurt her. He could see the pain on her face, and his heart ached for her. He heard the two guards returning and chose to close the discussion for now. “We can talk about this more once we are safe in Patria. Right now, let’s just focus on making it to the city safely.”
She nodded her acceptance, looking back over her shoulder at the soldiers approaching behind her. They spent a little bit of time talking with the soldiers before they all finally lay down to sleep. The two soldiers laid down protectively a few feet to either side of their king. They had tried to convince him to sleep in the cart, but he had refused. He chose to stay on the ground, looking up at the stars shining brightly in the sky.
A single star streaked across the sky. A shooting star was a warning from the gods that something big was coming in your life. Anyone could see a shooting star, but only those who the gods wanted to send a warning to would happen to look to the sky at that exact moment. He was already on edge and knew he had to be cautious, but now he knew the gods were involved. He could only hope that they would help him through this. The dwarves were dealing with their own problems, which left him and the other cities leaders to deal with the Black Dragons alone.
He was worried about his cousin, but he had to believe that her brother would be able to protect her. He had only recently been rediscovered. Much like Selina, he had been thought dead for many years. He had returned when his sister had come back to Patria and been captured by the Black Dragons. They were able to save her with the help of the dwarves and their powerful friends. Now he had to trust that they would be able to deal with whatever they might face until he returned. They weren’t far now though, and he planned to push hard to Patria.
He was ready to be back to his city. It was time that he was on the offensive and the Black Dragons felt the pressure of being constantly attacked. Now that the fighting with the dwarves was finished, when his army was all returned he would focus their efforts on rooting out the Black Dragons. Having an enemy would strengthen his army and prevent them from getting complacent. He mind was running, but his body was still weak. He was still sorting through possible plans to root out the Black Dragons when his body finally denied his mind and sleep finally overtook him.
Chapter Twenty-five
Coming Home
They made the rest of the trip to Patria uneventfully, approaching the city from the south. The morning sun still hung in the sky just above the horizon. The main gate to the city was on the north side and that was where he would enter. It wouldn’t do for the king to come sneaking into his own city through one of the minor gates. It would have been easier, and he wasn’t a huge fan of formality, but there were some things that were simply expected. The king came and went through the city’s main gate. It allowed the guards to establish a proper escort and everyone an opportunity to lay eyes on their King.
He was not overly excited about all of the attention, but he also knew it would be good for his people to see him. After everything that had happened since he had left, he was sure the rumors were rampant throughout the city. Having everyone see that their king was alive and well would help quell many of the false rumors that were sure to have arisen about him.
By the time they made their way all the way to the city and around to the main gate, it was nearly midday. One of his soldiers rode ahead to inform the soldiers to prepare an escort, and to have someone from the palace bring him something more suitable to wear. He could not ride through the city looking so disheveled.
They were able to make the gate without anyone taking notice. A soldier leading a cart with a man and woman wouldn’t attract much attention. Just before the soldiers came out though someone did recognize the king.
“That’s King Patria!” came a voice from the crowd.
“It is him!” came another voice.
Soon everyone around them was turning to face them and so he abandoned the idea of changing into more appropriate clothing. Now that he had been recognized, it would just cause rumors. He stood, showing everyone that he was all right, and waved. He returned greetings as Selina held the reins of the horses and nudged them forward into the gate. Soldiers quickly surged out of the huge entrance and surrounded the cart.
Two soldiers came up next to the cart, leading horses. Patria and Selina each mounted the horse on their side of the cart. Patria rubbed the horse’s neck. It was Speckle, his calmest horse. She was an old mare who took her name from the black speckles that covered the front of her gray body. She was quick when she needed to be and could easily be led with the knees. He continued to wave as he passed through the gates.
The captain who came forward and introduced himself was young for his rank. He was looked to be in his mid-twenties. The captain brought his gauntleted fist to his chest in salute. “Good morning, Your Highness. It is good to see you have arrived safely. I am Captain Flavel. Where is it that I should lead you?”
Patrai brought his own fist to his chest, holding the reins with his other. “Thank you, Captain. If you would make way to the palace, I believe there is a tub there calling to me.”
The captain smiled his appreciation at the lighthearted jest. He brought his hand down and nodded. “I believe I hear it, too, Your Highness. We shant keep it waiting.”
The captain turned his own horse and made his way to the front of the two ranks that had now formed on each side of him. PatriaThe Captain rode at the front between the two ranks of marching soldiers and slowly made his way into the city, dividing the rapidly growing crowd as he moved.
The procession continued through the city and people cheered. He was happy to have regained his strength. If they would have made the city a couple days sooner, he didn’t think he would have even been able to sit a horse. When they reached the palace gate, Anna and Jacob stood inside of it, their metallic blonde hair waving gently in the morning breeze. Anna and Jacob were his cousins and had been the heirs to the Patria throne. Jacob had disappeared in a terrible accident when he was a child, and Anna had married King Stoneheart. Their brilliant blue eyes shone with happiness at his return. He could see their happiness, but they did not betray formality.
They both bowed their heads and greeted him. “Welcome back Your Highness,” they said together.
In truth, either one of them would have had more right to the throne then he had. Jacob was raised to be the heir to the throne, but he had fallen through the ice of a pond and been assumed dead. It was only by an act of magic that he survived. When he recovered, he had no memory of who he was. A wizard who trained him raised him, and by the time he finally learned who he was, he was a man grown.
Anna would have been next in line for the throne but she had married the dwarf prince Grizzle Stoneheart. He was now the King of Dwarves, which made her the Queen. With both of the king’s children unable to succeed him, the king chose his sister’s son.
There was no denying Grundel as a Patria. He shared with his cousins the metallic blonde hair and brilliant blue eyes that marked all of the members of the Patria bloodline. Now the two people who should have taken the throne bowed submissively to him. He took no joy in holding the position over them, which was pro
bably why they had not usurped him. Unlike many noble families, they all held the city’s needs above their own desires. He had offered to abdicate the thrown when his cousin had returned to them, but he was a wizard now and felt he could serve the throne in other ways. They had all discussed it and agreed that a change in leadership would not have been in the best interest of the city. It was still awkward to have the two cousins he had looked up to as a child bowing to him now.
He inclined his head before being assisted out of the saddle and to the ground. He looked to his cousins. They were now both staring past him. He followed their eyes to Selina. “Jacob, Anna, this is Selina. Selina let me introduce my cousins, Jacob Patria and Anna Stoneheart.”
Selina went to one knee and bowed.
When she stood, Anna said, “Selina, it is nice to meet you, and I am excited to hear how you came to be in the company of our king, but if it is all right with his Highness, we might do it more comfortably inside.”
Jacob said nothing. He had been mostly silent in his time back. It might have to do with the fact that once he had regained his memory, he had not rushed back to be recognized. He had kept his head shaved and played the beggar outside the palace where he could watch over his sister. His hair had grown quite rapidly and was hanging over his ears now.
“Let us get wash away the dirt and weariness of the road, and we will get together to discuss everything that has happened. Anna, would you mind getting Selina settled?” the king asked.
Anna nodded. “Of course, Your Highness.”
Commander Thompson waited at the top of the stairs for him. He saluted as the king made his way up the stairs. King Patria returned the salute. Soldiers on duty did not bow to the king. To do so would mean that they could not see what was happening around them and therefore they would not be able to react in defense of the king. Jacob followed Anna and Selina into the palace. Commander Thompson fell in step next to him. Once they were inside the entryway, the king found Master Brennin waiting for him.
The Phantom Dwarf Page 13
