Lord Of Dragons (Book 2)

by John Forrester

  Feeling grimy and sweaty, he searched the chambers for a bath but found only a toilet. Was it safe for him to go outside, or should he wait for his grandfather? From his experience he knew that waiting for Master Shalinor was usually a poor choice, as his arrivals and departures were so unexpected they defied reason.

  He went outside the front door and found a line of men and boys in robes traipsing down a stone walkway. Conspicuously dressed in his dusty desert clothes, he chased after the men and followed them from a safe distance until they disappeared inside a low building with steam billowing out the back. He snuck inside and did a horrible job pretending to fit in with the other men, drawing confused stares and whispers amongst the men.

  "And you are?" Tael turned to greet a servant's perplexed face.

  "Tael Shalinor...perhaps you know my grandfather, the wizard, Master Greyth Shalinor?"

  "Why of course, welcome, young master. You'll find the baths this way."

  A young man about Tael's age strode over to intercept them. "Did you say that your name is Tael Shalinor? From Valance?"

  Tael nodded his head and inspected the handsome young man.

  "Did you arrive with Princess Sebine? I once met her with my sister in Trikar...quite some time ago." As the man flashed a handsome smile, Tael found himself hating him in an instant. This had to be the famous Prince that Sebine had talked about.

  "Prince Jaraz, I presume? Princess Sebine mentioned you many times on our journey here." Tael gave the man a toothy smile he normally gave to people he was about to punch.

  "Did she really?" The prince flashed him an incredulous look. "I would have thought I'd failed to make much of an impression."

  "Well your party did fight off the Vizathian Knights in the palace and defend against a horde of Hakkadian sorcerers. Sounds impressive to me."

  The Prince's face darkened at Tael's flippant comment. "We never intended to fight. We went as a trade delegation to Trikar and were greeted by violence. The mad King Braxion slew his own ambassador to our kingdom. I watched the man moan and die in a pool of his own blood. He threatened to have his guards rape and murder my sister. You call that impressive?"

  Tael raised his hands in a sign of peace, but the Prince was fuming now. "I wasn't there, I only heard about that night from Sebine."

  "And you fail to call the Princess by her formal title? You seem like a man of low breeding to me...like one raised in the gutter...a slum dweller who carouses with whores and sleeps with dogs." The Prince sniffed Tael and twisted up his nose in disgust. "You even smell like a diseased dog. Why have you not made yourself presentable before arriving here?"

  A sneer crossed Tael's face as he fixed his eyes on the Prince. "I've heard you have a great arena here in Shaar'el? It seems my father once visited your proud city and made a mockery of your ineffective swordplay arts. I always wondered why the Malathians maintain such a strong reputation as credible fighters? From what I can see I'm unimpressed."

  A cold tension filled the room as they stared at each other, a tension only broken by the arrival of a powerful, older man with greying hair. "Let's save the bluster for the sparring arena, shall we?" The man gave Prince Jaraz a look of warning, and led him away.

  Tael soon found himself alone and wondering why he'd done something so stupid as to pick a fight with a prince in his own city. He took a bath and scrubbed and changed into new clothes, and quickly returned to his chambers feeling embarrassed and out of place.

  "I see you've found your way to the bathhouse?" said Princess Sebine. Tael gaped at how lovely she looked: face bright and painted with rouge, her hair clean and lustrous, and she wore a colorful print dress cut low in the front to reveal her firm breasts and silky skin. He found an indecent smile forming on his face.

  "Don't you even think about it," she said, and gave him a knowing smile as she wagged her finger at him. "We're due to have breakfast with the royal family."

  A cough escaped from Tael's mouth as he remembered the look of fury on Prince Jaraz's face. "Couldn't we eat in our rooms? The view is beautiful from the balcony."

  "What did you do? Please don't tell me you already got in trouble on the first day here?"

  "Just a little bit?" He gave her a hopeful grin as she scowled at him. "He called me a slum dweller and said I was from low breeding. He was being extremely rude."

  "Whom are you referring to?"

  "Prince Jaraz...I met him in the bath—"

  "And you hit him? Challenged him to a duel? Gods, Tael! Couldn't you at least behave yourself until they formed a decent impression of you?"

  "I didn't hit him! I only called him unimpressive."

  Sebine barked out a laugh. "You what? No fighting or wrestling or insults?"

  Tael shook his head and found a smile slowly forming on his face. "But I think he hates me all the same. Maybe he thought I was low-born because I showed up filthy at the bathhouse."

  "Filthy? I must have looked like a homeless beggar showing up in a royal bathhouse with the Queen and so many royalty. You should have seen how horrendous my hair looked this morning."

  They laughed together and found the tension had melted away. "What are we going to do, Tael? Maybe I can talk to the Prince and smooth things over, I don't know. Let's go and eat, shall we? Just keep quiet until I can think of something."

  Tael nodded and held her hands and gave her an apologetic kiss. "I'll try to make a good impression, I promise. We really need their support if we're to venture out north to those ruins." He reached for his sword and sheath, determined not to venture out in the city unarmed, not like the last time in Rez'el.

  "Indeed." Sebine led him outside to a set of steep stone steps. "At least the Queen seems to like me, though she's extremely blind in thinking their city is safe against King Braxion and his army. But I'm sure they'll lend us help on our expedition."

  They climbed several flights of stairs until they reached a huge patio covered in blue and gold tiles painted with various images of strange, mythological creatures and demons. On the far edge of the patio overlooking the expansive view was a collection of sumptuous chairs and tables filled with royals sipping on tea and drinks and chatting together. At Sebine and Tael's arrival, the royal family went quiet and studied their approach.

  Following Sebine's lead, they bowed together when they neared the royals, and Tael sensed an acid stare coming from Prince Jaraz who skulked at the back of the group. He recognized the older man from the bath house, and realized from his prominent place in the group that he was likely the King. The woman next to him bore a wise countenance and possessed a stunningly beautiful face that contained a great deal of humor and patience. She studied him with curious eyes.

  "May I present Princess Sebine and Tael Shalinor from the Kingdom of Valance." Tael felt relieved to hear his grandfather's voice introducing them. He turned and inspected his grandfather's wary eyes as they met. "They have fled from the court of the false king of Valance, the son of the Witch Koroshen of Naverstrom, the bastard-spawn of evil. In their perilous journey across land and sea and air they have survived fanatics and danger to arrive safely in Shaar'el. Our goal is to form an expedition to the ancient ruins of the Saarian Empire, the ancestors of both the Malathian Kingdom and the Hakkadians."

  Murmurs and whispers spread across the group at the wizard's words, and Tael noticed that one very pretty girl seemed especially intrigued at his grandfather's pronouncement, especially when he mentioned the expedition. Tael found himself staring at her plump red lips and lovely face. Her almond-shaped eyes caught his and she studied him with a fair mixture of intrigue and wariness.

  Sebine nudged him as they stepped towards several seats where the King beckoned for them to sit. "I said you'd find her alluring," she whispered, and gave him a devilish grin. Tael felt guilty for being caught, but found himself unable to avoid glancing again at Princess Marei.

  "And we also welcome Princess Theria, daughter of high elf King Rhaelian." The wizard flourished a hand and the m
ost beautiful and mysterious girl Tael had ever seen turned and stepped forward from where she had been studying the vast view of the city. "The King has commanded his beloved daughter to aid us in our quest to the Saarian ruins." At the introduction of the elven princess, Tael found himself mesmerized at her beauty.

  "So tell us, Princess Sebine, of your adventure from Trikar to Shaar'el?" The King gave her a warm, expectant smile.

  They were interrupted by an avalanche of servants bringing them plates of meat and cheese and fruits, and glasses of bubbling drinks that looked like sparkling wine. Sebine began telling them the story of their dragon flight from Trikar, and of the departure of Master Vhelan and the dragons, and their sea voyage to Glar Bay. She wisely failed to mention many items of obvious embarrassment, and tried to glance over their time in Rez'el.

  "So the high priestess is still up to her tricks?" the Queen said, and waited to observe Sebine's reaction.

  "I believe after my interactions with her that their society will find greater peace and less disturbance from their earth god. We were able to exchange magical knowledge, a part of which aided the high priestess in her control of magic."

  "How very interesting, though I doubt the fanatics of Rez'el could be anything but disturbed," said Princess Marei. "We must discuss the knowledge you discovered, Princess Sebine. I look forward to reacquainting myself with you."

  "Why would you be so foolish as to attempt an expedition to the ancient Saarian ruins?" Prince Jaraz gave Sebine a doubtful look that made Tael want to punch him in the face.

  "I should answer that question," said Master Shalinor, and glanced around at the royal family. "As many of you know, I have recently returned to Shaar'el through the magical portals of Khalas Dralorn. I am afraid that by now the high elves have abandoned the ancient city for their sacred islands to the east. The Kingdom of Drazal'tan is in the hands of the dark elves, and King Braxion is likely in possession of one of the four ancient relics that binds Prince Xanthes to his underground prison.

  "While I was in Khalas Dralorn, King Rhaelian allowed me to study an ancient tome scribed ten thousand years ago during the elves interaction with those of the Saarian Empire. The book detailed the beliefs of their religion, and described their two gods. I now possess some knowledge of their civilization and culture."

  "But you do realize that in the nine thousand years of our history," Prince Jaraz said, "not one expedition survived to those ancient ruins. All perished and failed to return. There was even a massive expedition several hundred years ago that established a tent city far from the cursed ruins, and group after group they sent went missing."

  The King raised a hand to silence the Prince. "Have you discovered anything in your research that might aid in your attempt to overcome the curse?"

  As Master Shalinor shook his head, Sebine raised her finger to interrupt him. "You mentioned you learned something about their gods? Might I ask their names? A spell that I discovered allows the summoning of a god if the name is known..."

  "That would be most foolish to invoke the names of those powerful, ancient gods." The wizard frowned at Sebine. "I already gave you a warning of using such magic. The consequences to the person and even to the world might be dire. Those gods are all but forgotten from the world, and I doubt even the Hakkadians worship them any longer, or perhaps some variant exists in their religion..."

  "You have the ability to cast a spell and summon a god?" Princess Marei gaped at Sebine in astonishment. "And have you had such a spell cast on you?"

  "I have," Tael said, and drew in the stares of the group. "Princess Sebine resisted the spell from the high priestess of Rez'el, but I was affected and encountered the god of the earth in a vision that was more real than any dream I've had."

  The group of royals flinched at Tael's proclamation as if he had just revealed to them that he was suffering from a deadly plague. A shiver went through Princess Marei's body as she stared open-mouthed at Tael.

  "Then you are affected by the energy of that strange god? Come no closer and do not touch any of my children." The Queen's eyes fired protectively as she glowered at Tael.

  "He will not be affected for long," Master Shalinor said, and as his grandfather snapped his fingers, Tael felt cold hands burrowing deep into his chest and brain, and clenching and squeezing until the world faded into blackness.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  AT THEIR FIRST encounter in a small town between Yhalan and Khalas Dralorn, King Braxion wondered why it was necessary for him to deal with the dark elves. Jolrath, their leader, was the same elf who'd disrespected him so many years ago in Trikar. How many years ago? Almost twenty? But then the old fear crept up in his mind. Nineteen years ago, around the same time that Sebine was conceived.

  He'd always doubted whether Sebine was his own child. She was even more lovely than her mother, and bore no resemblance to Braxion. In jest he always said he thanked the gods that she looked nothing like him, and there were many jesters at court who carried the notion to ridiculous heights of song and mimicry. King Braxion cared little for his ugliness, in fact he found it aided to bring terror and repugnance to his enemies. With a great deal of relish, he enjoyed the idea that the last thing they'd see in their short miserable lives was the sight of his ugly face spitting on them as he ran his blade into their hearts.

  She was a traitorous bitch, anyway. Along with Master Vhelan and his band of outlaws. He looked forward to torturing the lot of them, especially as retribution for their betrayal. First he needed to deal with this situation in Khalas Dralorn, with Jolrath's ambassador claiming that the elven relic had vanished? That was their responsibility, secure the relic and give it to them, and King Braxion had promised to leave Drazal'tan in the hands of the dark elves. That was the bargain.

  But now nothing made sense. How could the elves allow Master Vhelan and his allies to break into their most holy temple and steal the Mirror of Halien'shur? It was absolutely inconceivable that such a thing could happen. And that now that dark elves failed to live up to their side of the bargain, King Braxion didn't see any other way around it other than war. More like slaughter, a fine skewering of their arrogant elven heads on pikes outside Khalas Dralorn.

  "General!" shouted King Braxion, and he heaved himself up to his feet as the Vizathian knight entered the war tent. "Time to give those elven bastards a taste of dwarven steel up their arses. Mount up and ride! We aim for the capitol. If any dark elves try and stop us, bring me their bloody heads!"

  The knight stood dumbfounded at the King's proclamation, so much that Braxion thought he'd need to bash his head to get the command into his thick skull. "Move! I didn't hire you to think, just to act, now get our troops ready to march."

  He swept aside the curtain and stepped outside, enjoying the misty morning dew of the magical elven forest. To his disappointment, upon their arrival at the gates of Yhalan, he'd found the border guards submissive and the city empty. Not a pretty elven girl in sight. In Khalas Dralorn, though, he expected a better bounty, even if the high elves had already left the city.

  His squire trotted over to help him mount his dragon. After the betrayal by Master Vhelan, the King always kept Keraxes close. The Hakkadian sorcerers always seemed to sense his desire to leave, and soon they floated across the air and mounted on their horses, their eyes focused and ready to fight. At least someone in his army knew how to act quickly.

  "Prepare to march for Khalas Dralorn," shouted King Braxion, and the Vizathian knights assembled around him cheered in a raucous display of upraised swords and fists. "Kill any elf or dark elf that dares to stop you. Do not cease until you possess the capitol. I'll be watching your progress from the skies. And as a reward for your bravery, I'll offer a thousand gold crowns to the knight who finds me the sacred elven relic I desire, the Mirror of Halien'shur. Search the city far and wide, and trust not the lying words of the dark elves."

  Cheers rang out across the crowd of Vizathian Knights, and the soldiers' eyes grew greedy with a d
etermined frenzy to be the first to win the prize. Even though the King doubted they'd find anything of worth, the hope and the game would boost morale and cause a commotion in the men.

  His dragon took flight and Braxion surveyed his vast army as they formed up and charged off into the dense, elven forest, and the green of the treetops caught the misty light of the sunlight and shimmered. He'd uncovered the truth in Khalas Dralorn, or kill every elf that he encountered.

  Chapter Thirty

  AS TAEL WRITHED in a fit from the wizard's spell, Sebine reached out to prevent him from collapsing to the ground. His body trembled and jerked, and a bubbling foam came out of his mouth. What was the wizard doing to him?

  "He should be fine in a few minutes." Master Shalinor bent down and placed a palm over his forehead. "The foreign entity will be removed quite soon from his mind. Keep this as a warning for the next time you think about casting a spell that summons a god. The effects are usually permanent until a spell is cast to cure the afflicted of the taint."

  "Are all gods this way?" Sebine braved the wizard's harsh stare as she spoke the words. "Perhaps some gods provide benefits to those summoning them."

  Master Shalinor shook his head and scoffed as if she were an idiot. "To a god, humans are like cattle to consume and control, to milk and provide them with sustenance. All of them are the same. Some gods are worse than others, causing virulence in the afflicted and the taint to spread quickly to others around them. In recorded history, entire civilizations have succumbed to the sickness of the gods and plunged their people into darkness and madness. Fortunately the names of such gods have disappeared or have purposefully been banished from books."