“I wear my breastplate almost every time I fly. The Healer said it’s a good habit to get into. You might do well to heed her advice.”
Ansel shrugged.
Shaking my head at his dismissal, I picked up one boot and looked around for the second.
“Where’s my other boot?”
“You mean the one you threw at me?” Before I could answer, he reached behind a table and came up with it, “This one?”
I grabbed for it, but he moved quickly. He lifted it above my head — just out of my reach.
“Ansel! Give it to me.”
“Get it. It’s right here,” he taunted, holding it high.
I tried to snatch it from him, but his reach was beyond mine. When I jumped, he countered with a jump of his own. He hid it behind his back and dodged me when I lunged. I chased him around the room, but couldn’t get any closer to my goal.
“Ansel!”
He was thoroughly amused.
“You seem to be having a fun day at my expense. Now give me my boot.”
He smiled and raised it over my head again.
My chase tactics obviously weren’t working. Changing my strategy, I leaped up onto Ansel and wrapped my legs around his waist. I nearly knocked him down. My boot was now within reach, but suddenly he lost interest in the game. He lowered his arm without resistance. I yanked my boot out of his hand. Before I could claim victory, he wrapped his arms tightly around me. We locked eyes.
My heart pounded like thunder as he tilted his head and pressed his mouth against mine.
“You cheated,” he breathed. “You took advantage of my weakness.”
“Weakness? You don’t have a weakness.”
“Ah, but I do — my weakness is you.”
Before I could respond, he kissed me once more.
“Hmm. If I would have known about your weakness,” I said, “I might have gotten a flight out of you much sooner.”
I smiled as I released my legs, pushed off from him, and landed lightly on the floor. My knees nearly gave in, my head reeled. I did enjoy his attentions, but even as my heart still pounded from his kisses, I couldn’t wait to fly again with Eshshah. Barring me from flight proved more difficult than I would have imagined.
“I’m afraid, even with cheating, it’s doubtful you could have flown earlier. Not everyone in the Council was fully convinced we should give you respite from your punishment so soon, and for such a small task.”
“Truthfully, Ansel, you could have convinced them you needed us to fly to Nunn for some chicken eggs, and they would have allowed it.” I laughed, ignoring his serious note.
“This is not a pleasure ride, Amáne.” He hesitated. His shoulders slumped, “I might as well tell you now. My justification for requesting you on this flight is to save me a trip back here. We’ll all go together to pick up Salama’s scales. You and Eshshah will bring them back to Dorjan. Sovann and I must continue to Serislan.”
“You sure know how to put a cloud in front of my sunshine, Ansel.”
I knew it was inevitable that his time here would come to an end. It always would be difficult to accept.
I sat on a bench to pull on my boots.
“No matter. I’m going to consider it a pleasure ride, anyway.” I sighed. “At least until it’s time to leave Eben’s.” I tried to smile, but a tear got in the way.
Ansel lowered himself next to me.
“Do you really have to leave so soon?” I asked.
“It feels like ‘so soon,’ but I’ve been here for several weeks. Longer than I should have. I have duties in Trivingar that need my attention. Leaving earlier wasn’t possible. I worried about you after your sentencing. Now I know you’ll be fine.”
His eyes met mine. “My time here, seeing you every day has been like a dream. One day that dream will become a reality. I promise.” His face brightened. “Until then, let’s just enjoy the moment. The surprise isn’t over.”
“What do you mean?”
“Come on. It’s time to ride.”
While Ansel and I saddled Sovann and Eshshah in the courtyard, Gallen brought out Ansel’s satchels. I caught a look on Gallen’s face that puzzled me. As I tightened the girth around Eshshah, the Healer brought out a bag that wafted the most delicious aroma — the smell of roasted meat.
I eyed it curiously. The Healer just smiled.
“I thought we were going to eat travel cakes on the way,” I said. “How are we supposed to manage a full meal while we’re flying?”
“We’ll just have to ask our dragons to fly slowly so I can toss you your share without too much mess.”
“What are you up to? You all have a guilty look about you.”
The three of them looked at each other, then back at me. Complete innocence masked their faces. Gallen shook his head in feigned ignorance. I cocked an eyebrow and decided I’d better stay on my alert.
The Healer and Gallen both gave me hugs. My suspicious mind suggested they were a little too strong and held a bit longer than necessary. Gallen gave me a leg up. They stepped back and saluted us as Sovann and Eshshah launched off the ground.
I closed my eyes but couldn’t hold back my scream of pure joy.
“Eshshah!” I yelled out loud.
She rumbled her delight. The four of us laughed our way over the water as we headed east.
“Ansel, why are we going east? Nicobar is northwest.”
“We’re just doing a short detour. I have something I need to take care of.”
“What would that be? There’s nothing in this direction.”
My heart melted at the smile that turned his lips. Sovann peeled off and headed north. Eshshah followed.
“Answer me, Ansel,” I shouted over the wind.
Eshshah caught up and we flew abreast. An excitement filled Ansel’s face. Sovann banked sharply south. Again Eshshah followed. I could feel her tension.
“What are we doing, Eshshah? What’s this all about?”
She rumbled.
Sovann and Eshshah spiraled higher until they found a wind current. They soared and flew closer than I’d ever imagined. Their wings overlapped.
Eshshah felt my surprise. “It’s fine, Amáne. Sovann and I do this all the time.”
Ansel and I were so close we could almost reach out and touch each other. It was thrilling.
“Ansel?”
Silence, but this time as we flew beside them, I sensed Ansel could barely contain his emotions. I picked up on a nervous energy.
Ansel, nervous? I must be imagining things.
“If someone doesn’t tell me what’s going on, I’m going to get very mad or very scared. We keep switching directions, and we’re heading the wrong way. Nicobar is north. Have you all gone mad?”
“Amáne.”
“What Ansel?”
“May I ask you a question?”
“I hope it’s for directions. You certainly don’t know where you’re going.”
“No, it’s not for directions.”
“Then what is it? It looks like this day of having your fun with me is not over yet. And now you’ve included our dragons. Out with it!”
“Amáne.”
I rolled my eyes and heaved a great sigh.
“What?”
“Will you marry me, Amáne?” he cried out with exultant joy.
I sat in stunned silence, forgetting to breathe. That was the last question I would have imagined.
“Amáne?” Ansel’s worried look brought me back.
I turned to him with tears in my eyes. I opened my mouth, but nothing would come out.
“Amáne, answer Lord Ansel.” Eshshah said.
“I ... errr ... Ansel ... I can’t ... think of anything I’d rather do than to marry you. Yes! Yes, and yes once more.” My body shook. I felt giddy.
Our dragons trumpeted with joy.
The contortions on poor Ansel’s face made me burst out laughing. It registered from confusion to fear to utter relief, all in a matter of seconds.
<
br /> “I thought my heart was going to stop,” Ansel said. “It would have if you hadn’t said yes. I suppose you owe me from all my teasing. You win.”
“It wasn’t on purpose, Ansel. I couldn’t have done that to you. It’s just that ... that you took me by complete surprise. I really couldn’t breathe. What a brilliantly romantic notion. Proposal on dragonback.”
Both dragons dove sharply. I realized we were headed toward my favorite cove.
We landed softly on the sandy beach. I couldn’t unbuckle quick enough. Ansel was first off, already at Eshshah’s foreleg as I slid from the saddle. I jumped into his arms.
We kissed as my tears of happiness united with his.
“Wait right here,” Ansel said.
He rushed back to Sovann. I couldn’t see what he was up to as I heard him shuffling about on the other side of our dragons.
At last he came back around and took both my hands. He acted like a small boy as he said, “It’s ready. Close your eyes.”
Ansel led me a short distance across the sand.
“All right, you can open them, now.”
“Ohhh,” I whispered. He had laid out the most magnificent outdoor meal I’d ever seen. A quilt spread on the sand held the roasted meat the Healer had prepared along with cheese and fruit. There was even one of the Healer’s candelabras lit and perched on a rock near the quilt.
At the edge of the spread, Ansel went to one knee. He pulled out a ring from a pouch that hung on his belt.
Taking my hands, he said, “Amáne, my love. Please accept this ring as a token of my troth. A solemn vow that my heart will always belong to you. Just as I’d known when you first told me your name.”
“Yes, I accept,” I said as he slid a most beautiful gold ring on my finger. The band started wide at the top, then narrowed at the bottom. An intricate design of connecting swirls wove its way around with a dark patina in the recesses. It was topped with a deep blue stone — a sapphire. My favorite. My life couldn’t have gotten any better.
“Look, a shooting star,” I said to Ansel. “Did you know when you see one you’re supposed to make a wish? You have to finish making it before it disappears, or it won’t come true.”
We lay on our backs on the quilt and gazed up at the myriad stars that decorated the sky. Ansel squeezed my hand and brought it to his lips.
“My wish has already come true,” he said.
I thought the smile on my face would never go away ... ever.
We had just finished a delicious meal, even better than the feast served at Ansel’s birthday ball nearly a year ago. Not wanting our moment to end, we lingered after we had packed away the left overs. The night breeze whispered and the waves lapped the shore. The new moon assured the best star gazing. Our dragons lay contented, nearby.
Ansel rolled onto his elbow and studied my face. He traced my eyebrow, then down my nose and rested his finger on my lips. He let out a reluctant sigh. “I’m afraid it’s time for us to leave. Eben will be expecting us.”
He kissed me tenderly. With one last lingering gaze, he rose to his feet and offered me his hand.
We folded the quilt, loaded it in a pack, then donned our helmets and riding cloaks. Ansel gave me a leg up to my saddle and we were airborne.
After a two-and-a-half hour flight, we spotted the rather large township of Nicobar. The outpost was located a small distance further to the south, in the low-lying hills. Unlike other outposts, located high up in cliffsides, Nicobar Outpost lay hidden in a small hill at ground level. Similar to the others, the cavern was undetectable. Dorjan had instructed our dragons where to find the hidden entrance.
We knew Eben had enough property for us to land almost at his front door, but we couldn’t chance discovery. We decided to leave Sovann and Eshshah at the outpost and walk into Nicobar. It would allow us a bit more time to spend in each other’s company. My head still reeled from our extraordinary evening.
Ansel and I found the road that headed into town. Before leaving the outpost, I’d strung my ring on a leather thong and tied it around my neck to hang under my tunic. I tucked my hair up into a cap and took up a masculine gait. A female walking with a man through town at that late hour would have brought too much attention.
The taverns did a lively business. Their light poured out from the doorways onto the road. The laughter and music from one establishment joined with the same from the next. The patrons from the more crowded pubs overflowed onto the street.
We kept to ourselves, and stayed on the less traveled lanes. But we still drew attention, as we strode along toward Eben’s, whose house lay on the other side of town.
“Hey little boy, shouldn’t you be at home in bed, hangin’ on to your mama’s apron strings?”
“Come on in. We’ll make a man outta ya here.”
“Isn’t that spear a little big for you? You’d need to cut it by half to wield it.”
A couple of times, I slowed my gait, ready to respond to their rudeness.
“Keep walking,” insisted Ansel out of the corner of his mouth. “We don’t need any trouble.”
I sucked in my breath and tried to tune them out. We were nearing Eben’s when a tavern brawl tumbled onto the lane as we passed by. Three men locked in the fray crashed into me before I could dodge them. I went down hard. The trio suddenly joined forces and turned on me, blaming me for their altercation. I rolled onto my feet, and dodged a kick. I blocked a punch then used the butt of my glaive to trip one of them. Ansel effortlessly took care of the other two. We left them sprawled in the lane and quickly slipped down the nearest alley.
“Are you all right?” Ansel asked.
“I’m fine. I think my pride is a little more wounded than my shoulder. I should have seen that coming. I guess my mind isn’t where it should be right now.”
I gazed up at him. We couldn’t get caught embracing in the alleyway, so he just returned my smile and we continued to Eben’s.
“Here we are,” said Ansel as we arrived at the cottage gate. Eben lived on a dark lane on the outskirts of town, a quiet and private piece of property.
Ansel unlatched the gate and we headed up the walkway. Both of us froze. The door was ajar and light streamed out onto the walk. Angry voices sounded inside. Something wasn’t right.
Ansel drew his sword slowly, muffling its ring as he slid it from the sheath. My glaive at the ready, my heart pumped. Adrenaline flowed. I slowed my breathing and concentrated on the energy to fight. He pushed in the door and checked that the room was empty, then motioned for me to follow. A tussle echoed in a far room. Then thuds — the sound of fists on flesh.
Three men, as if from nowhere, leaped into the room, wielding crossbows. The bowstrings were drawn, bolts in place and aimed directly at us.
“Drop your weapons or we’ll send your friend to his ancestors.”
Ansel put down his sword. A soldier grabbed my glaive and yanked my dagger from my belt.
“Move!” one of them bellowed.
We were herded down a hallway into another room. A pair of the king’s soldiers stood on either side of a chair in which a motionless Eben was tied. He was slumped over, bruised and bleeding.
Eben groaned. I breathed in relief that he still lived. He looked horrible. My anger rose at what these men had done to him. I moved closer to comfort him, but a soldier stepped in front.
Ignoring the man, I lowered my voice an octave to sound less feminine, “Eben, it’s us.” He would recognize my voice, even at this altered level.
“Shut up!” growled the soldier in front of me. He used the butt end of Ansel’s sword and brought it down on me. I blocked the brunt of the assault, but it still caught me on my cheekbone. Pain ricocheted in my head. Ansel gasped but was held in check by two of our captors. My head spun. Somehow, I stayed on my feet. Ansel’s anxiety was a great motivating factor.
“Clap those irons on ’em and take ’em to the back room.”
The younger soldier, not much older than I, took our hands b
ehind our backs and in turn locked the manacles on our wrists. The heavy bands immediately cut into my skin. He led us toward the door.
The man who appeared to be in charge held up his hand. “Hold it. Let me check something, yeah.” He circled Ansel and I, eyeing us curiously.
“Amáne,” Eshshah called, “we’re on our way.”
“Fly wide of the town, Eshshah, and land in the field next to the cottage. Take care of any soldiers out there, then wait for further word. We can’t have you crashing into the house just yet. They might kill Ansel or Eben if you do.”
I sensed Ansel was having a similar conversation with Sovann.
“Follow Ansel’s instructions if they differ from mine,” I added.
The head soldier drew his knife and turned to Ansel. My blood went cold. My mind raced. I have to stop him! I was ready to leap in front of the knife or knock Ansel down before the man struck. My efforts might be futile, but I couldn’t just watch them kill him.
I stayed my action when it appeared the man was not about to use the knife against Ansel. He lowered it to Ansel’s arm. Taking a hold of his right sleeve, he slashed the fabric. Sovann’s linking mark made it known Ansel was a dragon rider. Next, he slashed my sleeve.
An evil sneer rose on the man’s face. “What have we here? We’ve stumbled on a treasure, boys. King Galtero’s gonna reward us big, ya hear? We came for one filthy dragonless rider and we’ll go back with three,” he laughed. “Or I shoulda said two-and-a-half, yeah.” His eyes raked me up and down.
“You’re too puny to be a dragon rider. An’ your a might young, what?” He brought his face close to mine. I could smell his vile breath. I wanted to butt him with my head and break his nose. It would not have been the best decision with two cross bows trained on us.
“Hold this one, Bort. Tight.”
The young soldier moved behind me. I could almost feel his fear. Good. Although at this point, I couldn’t make use of his unease. With Ansel’s life at stake, a hasty move would be too risky. I didn’t struggle as he took my elbows and brought them closer together at my back. He put his arm through both of mine and held me tight.
Satisfied I was sufficiently restrained, the leader grabbed the top of my cap. I gave him my hardest glare. His eyes flickered just for a second before he yanked it off. My hair tumbled in a tangled mass around my shoulders. The man’s eyes went wide, as did his sneer.
Amane of Teravinea - The Crown (The Teravinea Series Book 3) Page 15
