“So, um, is that a new dress?” asked Senta.
“Yes, do you like it?” Mrs. Dechantagne brightened back up.
“I love the color. All the clothes Zurfina picks out for me are black and white. I had to save up to buy this dress myself.”
“Well, I think you look lovely in yellow,” then looking at the other girl, “Hero, you look beautiful in everything, but maybe we can go find a nice yellow dress for you too, or a blue one. I would be more than happy to purchase it on your behalf.”
“Thank you,” said Hero, quietly. “I’m sure that Honor would say that wasn’t appropriate.”
“Your sister does so much for other people. Surely she can’t object if someone does something for you once in a while.”
“It’s not that. Honor says it’s inappropriate to wear bright colors. She says we should be plain and humble.”
“That may be Zaeri tradition, but there’s nothing in the Magnificent Law about wearing colorful clothes,” said Mrs. Dechantagne. “I know that as well as anyone. I’m a Zaeri myself, you know. Would you like me to discuss it with your sister for you?”
“I don’t think that would be a very good idea….” said Hero.
“She means an account of how all the Zaeri colonists like to talk about you—how you married a Kafirite and turned your back on your own people and are probably going to be baptized into the Church of Kafira any day now.”
“Senta!” whispered Hero loudly for the third time.
“I didn’t say I believed them,” Senta explained. “Obviously I don’t believe them. And while a lot of the Zaeri believe it, I’d say only about half the colony overall does. What’s half of thirty-two and a half thousand?”
“Sixteen thousand two hundred fifty,” offered Hero.
“So there you go.”
Mrs. Dechantagne, unbothered by a reminder of her common heritage, and only slightly disturbed by highly intrusive and personal questions, now looked as though a large dinosaur had kicked her in the stomach. Her mouth opened and then closed several times, but nothing came out. Finally she picked up a piece of buttered bread and quite undaintily stuffed it into her mouth to give herself time to think. Her eyes began searching the Town Square for recriminating looks from other colonists.
“You know, Ma'am,” began Hero. “It sounds so much worse when Senta says it. It’s just idle gossip and it doesn’t mean anything.”
“It does mean something, Hero. Even if it only means that I cannot buy you a blue or yellow dress, it does, by God, mean something.” The rosiness began to return to Mrs. Dechantagne’s cheek and a crooked smile came to her face. “It also means that something will have to be done about it—at the highest levels.”
“Like Epic Pestilence?” offered Senta.
“Epic Pestilence.” The beautiful young woman rolled the words around in her mouth. “Perhaps and perhaps not. I will have to consult my many people. Just rest assured that whatever evil scheme I decide to lay upon the colony, you two will be safe.”
Senta smiled and while Hero did not smile, she at least looked less upset. The three finished their stew and their bread and Mrs. Dechantagne ordered three of Mrs. Finkler’s five pound loaves of bread to go. When Aalwijn set them all three in a pyramid on the table, it threatened to overturn.
“Give my best to your guardians,” said Mrs. Dechantagne, giving each of the girls one of the loaves that seemed nearly as big as they were. The beautiful woman in the sky blue dress scooped up her own loaf and laid three silver one mark coins on the table, representing an almost fifty percent tip. Then she started off across the Town Square. She walked east toward the Dechantagne home two blocks away. The girls walked west, in the direction of Senta’s home. The two of them, one blond and dressed in yellow, and the other with black hair and dressed in black and brown, and each carrying an enormous loaf of bread, looked as though they could have been the models for some of the fancy porcelain salt and pepper shakers coming from Mirsanna.
“You should really be more careful what you say to people,” said Hero.
“Zurfina says that’s a waste of time,” replied Senta. “Zurfina says that powerful people can say anything they want. They don’t have to mince words.”
“Didn’t you tell me that Zurfina almost fed you to a pack of velociraptors?”
“Yep.”
“Then has it occurred to you that not everything Zurfina says or does is the best thing for you?”
“Yep.”
“But you keep following her directions anyway?”
“Yep.” Senta gave her friend a fierce grin. “It’s more fun that way. Besides, I like to see the look on your face.”
“You’re impossible!”
“Yep. Impossible, like magic.”
“Talking of which,” said Hero, suddenly stopping on the side of the road. “You said you would show me your new magic spell.”
“Okay,” said Senta. “Are you ready? This is very ponderous. Uuthanum uusteros pestor!”
Senta spread her arms out wide and stepped to the left and to the right at the same time. Suddenly there were two Sentas standing side by side. Then each of them spread their arms wide and stepped to the left and to the right. Suddenly there were four Sentas, all looking exactly the same and all just as real. In unison, the four blond girls in yellow dresses turned to their right and began skipping in a circle around Hero.
“Senta. Senta. Which one is you? I mean, which one are you?”
All four Sentas turned and grinned at her as they skipped around.
“You’re making me dizzy… and a little scared.”
One of the Sentas landed on both feet right in front of Hero. The others continued to skip around her in a circle, until they reached her front as well. Then they bumped into the Senta who had stopped and were absorbed into her.
“Is there anything that doesn’t make you a little scared?” the blond girl asked.
“Not very many things,” admitted Hero. “But it’s not as though I had magical powers to protect me.”
A sudden heavy thump right beside them startled both girls and they turned to see the steel dragon, who had dropped out of the sky to land less than two feet from them. He stretched his broad wings, now grown to almost twenty feet from tip to tip, and then folded them with casual grace so that they were tucked in close to his back. He looked at the two girls with his large steely grey eyes, while his long snake-like tail curled around in the air.
“Hello Bessemer,” said Hero, stepping forward to scratch the dragon under the chin.
“So how come you’re not scared at all of him?” asked Senta.
“Well, I guess I am a bit. But he’s so beautiful; it’s hard not to be… I don’t know, enchanted, I guess is the word.”
“That is so true,” said Bessemer.
“You know, he used to bite me all the time,” said Senta.
“She used to put me in a cage,” whispered the dragon, closing his eyes and leaning toward Hero, so that she could better reach all the places under his chin.
“I hope you got something to eat, because I’m not giving you any of my bread,” Senta told Bessemer. “And you know that wasn’t me. That was Zurfina’s cage. She had a cute little leash for you too.”
“Oh, I ate. I ate a nice warm-blooded mammal.” He bared his razor sharp teeth ferociously and his forked tongue shot out and back in. Hero pulled her hand away from his head and stepped back, clutching both hands to her chest.
“Now look what you did,” said Senta.
“I’m sorry, Hero,” said Bessemer. “You know I would never eat you. And I wouldn’t eat any of your friends either. Probably.”
“Oh, very scary,” said Senta. “Now kiss and make up.”
The dragon leaned his face toward the blond girl, who in turn leaned toward him. He pressed his left cheek to her right cheek and they both made “mwa” sounds as they kissed the air. Then they pulled back and leaned forward again, and this time she pressed her left cheek to his right an
d they gave each other another air kiss. The dragon then rolled his serpentine neck so that his head was completely upside down, exposing his chin. Senta rubbed the steel colored scales that Hero had been unable to completely reach.
“And I had a fish too,” said the dragon.
“We had stew,” said Hero.
“Potatoes?”
“Yes.”
“Carrots?”
“Yes.”
“Celery?”
“Yes, and we didn’t have to pay,” said Senta. “Mrs. Dechantagne bought our lunch for us, and she bought these loaves of bread too.”
“Pretty blue dress she was wearing,” said Bessemer, rolling his head back around.
“How do you know?” wondered Hero.
“Saw her walking home, when I was flying around.”
“I wish I could fly,” said Hero.
“Oh, it’s ace, all right,” said the dragon. “Where are you two off to now?”
Senta and Hero looked at each other. They hadn’t made any plans and had just been walking along. For two twelve year old girls in the colony there were uncounted possibilities, but because they were two twelve year old girls, none of the countless possibilities came to mind, and those that did had no appeal. They both sighed at the same time.
“We could finish reading Matter and the Elements,” suggested Hero.
“Boring,” said Senta.
“It’s actually pretty good once you get to the last third,” said Bessemer.
“You’re reading ahead?” demanded Senta.
“You read too slowly.”
“Fine. We’ll go to my house and get the book. We can drop off the bread, too. Then we’ll go to Terrence’s tree and finish reading. We can stop on the way and drop your bread off at your house. And the dragon can just sit there and watch us read.”
“I’m afraid I won’t be able to attend,” said the dragon. “I have a very important nap to see to.”
The home of Zurfina the Magnificent and of course of Senta, her apprentice, sat less than three hundred yards west of the Town Square. It had a fenced in yard of six acres with many large trees. The little winding walkway through the natural pines and maples, made the yard seem like a quiet little forest. There were a few houses in the area, though none were located on lots touching the sorceress’s. Neighbors usually referred to Zurfina’s house as a “tower”, though it was in actuality just a small building, no larger in floor area than most other homes, but rising to five stories. The ground floor was a kitchen, dining area, and storage rooms. The first floor up was the living room and Bessemer’s chamber. The second floor up was a bedroom and playroom for Senta. Above that was Zurfina’s bedroom and boudoir. The very top story was the sorceress’s private study, in which none were allowed.
Senta opened the heavily carved pine door and led the others inside. The ground floor, like the others was mostly one big room, with particular areas set aside by room dividers. Bessemer immediately shot over to a pile of fluffy pillows in the corner of the dining area, turned around three times, then curled up into a ball that seemed impossibly small. Senta carried the large loaf of bread to the pantry and opening the door, placed it inside. She closed the door then looked around the room.
“I know that book is down here somewhere.”
Every flat area in the room was covered with dirty dishes, books, stacks of papers, clothing, full and empty bottles and cans, and jars of preserved foods.
“We should stay here and clean up,” said Hero.
“When Zurfina finally comes down, she can just magic it clean.”
“Can’t you magic it clean?”
“Hmm.” Senta raised an eyebrow.
“Never mind. I don’t want you turning me into a ham sandwich by accident.”
“If you turn into a ham sandwich our deal about my not eating you is off,” said the dragon from the corner, without opening his eyes.
Suddenly Zurfina walked down the stairs in the center of the room. She had a pale green plaster smeared across her face, including her eyelids, which were closed, but she didn’t seem to need to see to know where she was going. She made every step on the stairs without the least hesitation. Her hair was wet and mussed, but the girls could clearly see the bald spot over her right ear. The pale green plaster on her face was the only thing that she was wearing. Her naked body was on display with her constellation of two-inch star tattoos, one above each breast, one around her naval, and one on each hip bone. Still with closed eyes, the sorceress reached the froredor, a magical ice box, opened it, and took out a carrot. She bit the tip of the carrot as she turned around and walked back to the staircase. The girls could now see the fourteen inch moon tattooed at the top of her back, and the eight inch flaming sun in the small of her back.
As soon as Zurfina had disappeared into the ceiling passage up to the next floor, both girls burst out laughing.
“Is that you, Senta?” called Zurfina’s voice from above.
“Yes!” Senta called back.
“Clean up down there!”
Hero and Senta both burst out laughing again.
Chapter Two: On the Dechantagne Family Estate
Turning away from the street, Yuah Dechantagne made her way up the stone walkway to the family’s home. The huge, stately structure was the largest building in the colony, and had taken the better part of two years to construct. Featuring a large portico supported by four two-story columns, a double gabled roof and more than a dozen stone chimneys; every side of the house was covered with large dual-paned windows. Walking through the gardens and past the large reflecting pool, the fountain, and the sundial surrounded by white roses, she paused to hyperventilate for a moment before tackling the six steps to the portico. Standing at attention outside of the front door was a lizardman, naked except for a yellow ribbon with a gold medallion around its neck. As she approached, the creature reached back and opened the door for her.
“Thank you, Tisson,” she said, sweeping in through the doorway.
Once inside, she walked through the foyer and into the parlor, just in time to see her sister-in-law, the colonial governor, slapping her hand across the protruding snout of another lizardman. The creature wore a similar medallion and ribbon as its counterpart outside, though it was a silver medallion on a green ribbon. The reptilian was also slightly shorter and had darker green skin. Even so, it towered over the woman in the olive green herringbone dress that faced it.
“One more time and I’ll cut off your tail and send you back to that mud hut you came from,” she snarled at the lizardman. “Do you understand?”
“Yess,” hissed the reptile.
“What was that all about?” asked Yuah.
Iolanthe rolled her aquamarine eyes. “How many times have I explained? They still don’t get it. When the flower petals fall off, the flowers are replaced.”
“I think they like the flowers better when they are wilted,” replied Yuah. “It must be a lizard affectation.”
“Well, I’m not going to put up with it. Say, where have you been all morning?”
“New dress.”
“Oh yes. Very pretty.” If there was one thing Governor Iolanthe Dechantagne-Calliere could appreciate, it was a new dress. “The baby was crying a little while ago. I had Cissy feed him.”
“Sirrik!” called Yuah. Another lizardman, mottled yellow with brown stripes, stepped into the parlor from the doorway that led to the library. “Go have Cissy bring down the baby.”
Sirrik walked through the parlor and into the foyer. The two women could hear the creak of the stairs as the heavy reptilian then made his way up. Yuah set her large loaf of bread on the coffee table and sat down on a divan, recently brought by ship from Mirsanna. Iolanthe carefully sat down across from her in a sweepback Prince Tybalt chair.
“I am surprised to find you still at home,” said Yuah.
“I will be going to the office later in the day.”
“Are you going to address the new arrivals? I saw that the
ship was being unloaded.”
“I will leave that to your father. He actually enjoys that sort of thing, you know.”
“Yes, I know.”
The groaning of the staircase announced Sirrik’s return. Following closely on his scaly heels was a smaller lizardman, this one wearing a yellow skirt just above its tail. The ridiculous garment was only about eight inches long, hiding nothing because the reptiles had no external genitalia to hide. Nestled carefully within the smaller lizardman’s arms was a small bundle. The beast walked across the parlor and gently passed it to Yuah. She carefully pealed back the blanket revealing the tiny, pink, perfectly formed face of a baby boy. His tiny mouth was puckered and his eyes were closed. He twisted slightly in his sleep, as Yuah tickled his chin.
“Who’s mama’s big boy?” she said, in the voice people reserve for babies, pets, and anything else that can’t actually hear or respond.
“How long has he been asleep?” Yuah asked the lizardman in the yellow dress.
“Haff hour,” said the creature, rolling its yellow eyes toward the grandfather clock along the east wall.
“Half an hour?” confirmed Yuah.
“Yes.”
“He’ll be asleep for some time yet,” said Iolanthe. “Why don’t you let her put him back in his crib?”
“No, I want to hold him for a while.” Yuah turned to the lizardman. “You may go now. Why don’t you check back at three?”
Both reptiles bowed and left the room, Sirrik back toward the library, and Cissy through the foyer. Yuah leaned back and gently bounced the baby boy in her arms while he slept. She marveled at his dark eyelashes and the tiny bit of dark brown hair just sticking out below the blanket.
At that moment a little girl, almost three, in a bright floral dress ran into the room. Her blond hair seemed thin around her chubby, round face, but was supplemented with a large red bow on the top of her head. Bouncing along on her chubby little legs, she was not quite in control of her body, and bumped right into the stuffed arm of Iolanthe’s chair. She was up again quickly, though she left the item she had been carrying, a doll with a dress exactly like hers, lying on the hardwood floor.
The Drache Girl Page 2
