“I’ve ordered a battalion to prepare additional defences around Wyvern’s Peak and to assist the Angdar who are already there with the restorations of Askenroth’s fortress,” she told them. “It’s a good place.”
“And Lady Kaolin, Lord Keld and King Kaodas are there?” the other woman asked.
“They are,” Savenya replied. “But don’t worry, Elenskaer. They’ll be treated well. I want to rule with some grace and I will not see us reduced to barbarians. As we’ve all agreed, we had enough of that back on Drach’nsvoiya.” She scowled at the memory. “Hiding out in caves, killing those we could not beat in the open air by using sharpened rocks instead.” She pinched the fabric of her dress. “Nothing of beauty or elegance. No, we will not descend to that again.”
“I still can’t trust the Angdar though,” Elenskaer said, an expression of distaste clouding her fine features. “They’re brutes.”
Savenya shrugged. “True. But they are useful. And they want to survive. Oh, how badly they want to survive.” She clutched at the air in emphasis. “You can feel it. And that’s the key. They’re afraid of what will happen to their dying race if any of them defy us and as long as they remain afraid, they’ll obey us without question. So believe me, when I say they won’t harm our prisoners in our absence, they won’t.”
“And servitude’s in their blood,” the man pointed out, “It’s what they were created for.”
“Indeed,” Savenya agreed, then turned back to the woman. “So have no fear.”
“Now,” she announced. “The time has come to say goodbye to this place. It’s a good home, that’s true, but it’s too remote. Today, I’m leaving for Wyvern’s Peak.” She then turned to the man. “Karafae, your battalion is ready to march south and establish the fortifications you require in the Entruscian Mountains.” Then she addressed the woman. “And Elenskaer, yours is of course ready to build your fortifications in the mountains above the woods of Issalia. Are we agreed on which of our comrades we will take with us?”
“I have no objections,” Elenskaer said.
“Neither do I,” Karafae added.
“Then it’s settled,” Savenya told them. “My friends, the Greater Realms are waiting for us.”
VI. Survival
Kalishar was a quieter place now than it had been during the war. Many people who had lived there had since spread out, going north to parts of Adaria, south to Hellesa and as far east as Cirreone and beyond. Nevertheless, the city was still a bustling trading port and it was close to Ensari, its sister city in all but name. In fact, since the country of Maharei had turned to desert long ago, Kalishar was already a part of Ilara for all practical intents and purposes anyway and there was even some talk of making that official.
However, that talk was about to be put on hold, Morgiana thought as she made her way to Queen Isabelle’s palace. Soon, everyone would have more pressing concerns.
“I never imagined we’d have to face anything like this,” Queen Isabelle said. “And face it so soon after the war.”
“Tal believes other lands may be taken over as well,” Morgiana added.
“We’ll all be at risk,” Isabelle replied. “These dragons won’t have come all this way for the spoils of one country. Why stop there? Especially when you consider how easy it was for them.”
“True,” Morgiana agreed.
“Although they won’t be able to move against Kalishar and Ensari yet,” Isabelle said. “In order for them to do what they’ve done at Arahir, they would need to stay fairly close to it. And not even just to carry out their threats against people who resist them. Just to have Angdar visit the villages every month and collect tribute, they would need to have a local garrison. They couldn’t do that from the Ogjenskarrat.”
“Savenya will have most likely set up somewhere near Arahir,” Morgiana said. “Probably at Wyvern’s Peak. And cruder garrisons might be set up closer to large cities like this one.”
“What a joyous thought,” Isabelle murmured, rising from her seat. “I suppose I’d better tell Queen Heptapshu the news. I’m sure she’ll be thrilled.”
Lorial pushed her hair back in an exercise to ease some of the tension she was feeling right then. “I can’t believe it.”
Derin looked over her shoulder at the two children standing thirty yards away. “Does Kelahil know?” he murmured.
“Oh, he’d have to suspect something,” Lorial said. “Karn and Shaala come riding after us, and Talon and I tell him that us adults have to talk about something they can’t listen in on. The children have their suspicions, for sure. And I don’t know how long I can keep up the ‘this is just another trip with Aunt Lorial’ act.”
Derin kissed her. “Just keep it up a little longer. It’s going to be hard enough traveling with small children all that way as it is. We don’t need one of them distraught.”
“No, you’re right,” Lorial agreed. “And I suppose I’d better get Talon to tell Ishtvan too. He seems to listen to him more.”
“Ishtvan’s not going to tell Kelahil,” Derin said. “He’s a sensible boy.”
“Yes, but sometimes he and Zecelia like to share secrets and Zecelia doesn’t share his restraint.”
Derin chuckled. “True. Honestly, I have no idea where she gets that from. Neither of us are that chatty.”
“Oh well. She’s her own girl.”
“True enough.”
“We should tell everyone else here to head south as well,” Lorial added. “This place is far too exposed, and as you said, we’re not far from that highway.”
“I’ll tell them,” Derin told her. “I’ll wait until you’re gone, and then catch up. That way, Kelahil won’t see families fleeing and get any more suspicions.”
Lorial nodded. “Good idea, but don’t leave it too long.”
Derin kissed her. “Find Talon and Ishtvan and I’ll catch up in a few hours, all right? Just don’t ride too fast. And if I can’t find you on the road, I’ll meet you in Ketchyin.”
“All right.”
Lorial started to turn away and then stopped. She nodded to the hall that Derin had been working on with Ishtvan and a few other helpers. “The hall looks good, Derin.”
A day later, and two days after Morgiana arrived back in Kalishar, Tal reached the old fort of Hallam. A port of some importance as it had the best harbor between Kalishar and Cirreone. Situated at the mouth of the Elendar River, and with many well–maintained roads heading both east and west, it was also the best point on the coast from which to sail to the island of Caeras.
It was nice to see it again, Tal thought, but coming here now seemed a little pointless. He had wanted to be here so he could listen to the incoming news for any word about the danger that Karn and Shaala had sensed, but that was no longer necessary. Not after hearing Morgiana’s news.
“So much for waiting,” he said to himself as he stepped off the ship. He then set off to find the falconers stationed at the port.
Shaala watched Karn as he lit the fire.
“Do you think that’s a good idea with the dragons about?” she asked.
Karn shrugged. “They’re not going to be too worried about a couple of people camping in the open. At least not until they have all the lands of the Greater Realms under their control. Besides, we can hardly be the only people camping in the open tonight.”
Shaala smiled. “Good point.”
A spark ignited at last and then the fire was going. Karn slumped back with a sigh and watched it for a few moments. “It’s a pity the nicer varieties of dragons don’t visit more often,” he said. “They might be able to sort this lot out.”
Shaala looked surprised. “You mean the dragons of I’estre?”
“Yes, them. I remember reading about them in some of the books you had at Bellasaire.”
A pensive gaze crossed Shaala’s features. “You might be onto something there, Karn. And from the accounts I’ve read in the libraries in Ensari and Kalishar, it’s clear that dragons from I’estre h
ave come here before. I remember one particular account by a woman called Nysara. In it, she described how her village had been incinerated by a ruby dragon. Then a gold dragon came to her aid. It killed the ruby one, risking its own life to do so, and then it changed into a human woman to see if Nysara was all right.”
“So this Nysara had a personal encounter then?”
Shaala nodded. “Oh, yes. The dragon’s name was Ramonda and she stayed with Nysara for several years, protecting her as she grew up. She was like a mother to her. And a sister. And a friend. They had a very close bond.”
“I should have visited those libraries more often,” Karn said. “Are there other accounts like that?”
“Probably none as extraordinary as that,” Shaala said. “But there are several more dragons who struck up friendships with people here. And there are also some plain, simple accounts of dragons that flew overhead and didn’t kill anyone.”
Karn smiled. “Well, that is something. Now, let’s see. You said Ramonda was a gold dragon. There are bronze dragons on I’estre as well, right?”
“Yes.”
“And the big ones on Drach’nsvoiya are the ruby and emerald ones. And they’ve got the small black ones as well, but they don’t change form and they’re not as intelligent.”
“Right.”
“I wonder why the temperaments of the ones from I’estre are so different from the ones we’re familiar with.”
Shaala thought about it. “I suppose it’s because Drach’nsvoiya isn’t a very nice place. Most of it’s volcanic wasteland. There isn’t much in the way of food and water and so the dragons there probably fight for anything they can get. I can’t say that would breed the most benevolent creatures.”
“And what about I’estre?” Karn asked. “What’s that like? Is there anything in Nysara’s account about that? Something Ramonda may have said to her?”
Shaala shrugged. “No one knows. Just the dragons that live there. No one from the Greater Realms has ever been to the island.”
“It’s farther than Drach’nsvoiya then?”
Shaala shook her head. “No. It’s much closer, I think. But it’s farther from the mainland. If you sail for Drach’nsvoiya from the Southern Lands, there’s not as much ocean to cross. And people have been exploring the lands south of the Greater Realms for a long time already. Drach’nsvoiya must have been a natural next step.”
Karn nodded. “I see.” He thought for a moment. “You were able to call Dominicon because others had been to Drach’nsvoiya before, right?”
“Yes. That helped me. The descriptions in accounts and the recollections that had been passed down to other mages like Marshal Artaeis helped. I had to know the place. Know the inhabitants.”
Karn nodded. “All right. So you couldn’t call out to a dragon on I’estre because there aren’t any descriptions or inherited memories to draw on.”
“Exactly.”
Karn crossed his arms and leaned back. “Well then. I’d say what we should do is go to I’estre ourselves.”
“Are you serious?”
“We can’t fight these dragons,” Karn said, “and we can’t kill their Angdar. But maybe we can find someone who can.”
There were too many memories in Ketchyin, Lorial thought as she looked around the place. It seemed less like a frontier town than it had when she had first seen it but she still recognized all the buildings and the fountains. And even the doorsteps where she and Ishtvan had first met Keld. Ishtvan and Keld. One of them was now long dead, though his memory lived on with the name of her son, and the other was locked away somewhere with his country held to ransom.
“Are you okay?” Derin asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.
“It’s just this place,” Lorial explained. “You know, Ishtvan and I came through here all those years ago. We met Keld over there.” She pointed at the doorsteps. “And, well you know.”
“I know,” Derin told her. “Don’t worry though. We won’t stay too long.”
“How’s Kelahil going?” Lorial asked him.
Derin sighed. “He’s taking it well enough but you know. It’s not easy.”
After Kelahil had asked them again and again what was going on, they realized that they couldn’t keep it all a secret. They hadn’t told him that his parents had been taken prisoner of course, but they had told him more or less what had happened to Arahir. He hadn’t cried or begged to go back but he had become very withdrawn afterwards and the expression his features had taken when he heard the news was not one Lorial ever wished to see on the face of a child again for as long as she lived.
“Come on,” Derin told her. “Let’s go and restock our supplies.”
Soon afterwards, they were on their way again and two days later, they arrived in Kalishar.
VII. Flight
Queen Isabelle looked up as Tal and Morgiana entered the meeting hall. “What happened?”
“We’ve just seen one of your falconers,” Tal said. “He’s been communicating with one of Sól’s old scouts up north and the rumors about Valahir have been confirmed. It fell the same day as Arahir. And Erahil was taken yesterday.”
“Good grief,” Isabelle exclaimed. “All the lands of the Eirahir. The Greater Realms are falling like dominoes.” She was quiet for a moment. “And King Kaodas was taken prisoner when Valahir fell?”
“Yes,” Tal replied.
“And Lord Asmundyr in Erahil?”
“Him too,” Tal replied. “They’re being kept with Lady Kaolin and Lord Keld in Askenroth’s old fortress at Wyvern’s Peak. Savenya’s made it nice and new again, bless her.”
“Yes,” Isabelle said. “That’s wonderful. Just what we need.” She arched her back, stretching out some tension. “Please tell me that’s everything.”
Tal sighed. “I wish I could.”
“All right. What else have our new friends been up to?”
“Some of Savenya’s dragons... not Savenya herself but the emerald ones... They’ve been taking women from some of the Arahir villages.”
“Why?”
“The dragons said they needed servants at Wyvern’s Peak.”
Isabelle shook her head. “What are we going to do?”
“For the moment, we can’t do anything,” Tal told her. “Under these circumstances, there can be no open resistance against the dragons. They have a power over us Marshal Artaeis never had.”
“They can roam freely in the skies,” Morgiana added, “killing with impunity. And then there are all the people they have taken prisoner. We can’t sacrifice them any more than we can sacrifice the villages that don’t have the strength to resist these creatures.”
“All right,” Isabelle said. “So none of us can resist them as things stand at the moment. Unless you know differently.”
Morgiana frowned. “Do you know something we don’t?”
Queen Isabelle looked surprised. “Karn and Shaala haven’t been in contact with you?”
Morgiana shook her head. “Should they have been?”
“They might be waiting until they’re sure of their plan and everything’s ready. But they’re in Ensari at the moment and they’re preparing for a sea voyage.”
“Do you know what they’re up to?” Morgiana asked.
“They haven’t told me,” Isabelle replied. Her gaze flitted down. “I imagine they don’t want to tell me anything since they expect I’ll be taken prisoner soon too.” She let out a sigh. “You two shouldn’t stay here. I have to. I’ve got no choice. If I hide, the dragons will make people suffer for it. But you two could disappear for a while. Savenya seems to know quite a lot about the Greater Realms, and I think it’s safe to assume she knows about you as well. And considering that she’s paid little heed to you so far, she probably doesn’t consider you much of a threat to her power. However, I doubt she’ll ignore you for very long.”
“Yes, I guess she’d be happier knowing we were out of the way,” Morgiana agreed.
“I’m not hiding,” Tal p
rotested.
“You said it yourself though, Tal,” Isabelle reminded him. “You can’t do anything here. This isn’t a war. The Greater Realms are being held to ransom.”
“That’s true,” Tal replied, “but all the same, I’d like to stay here as long as I can to keep an eye on things. I imagine the time will come when we’ll have to cross the strait and hide out until we can work out a way of dealing with the situation but that time hasn’t arrived yet.”
“If you wait too long though, you might not have a chance,” Isabelle countered.
“Maybe,” Tal conceded. “However, since Savenya and her friends seemed to have eschewed subtlety at the moment, I’m sure we’ll have plenty of warning.”
“All right,” Isabelle sighed. “Now, on a different note, are Lorial and her family comfortable enough? All their needs are being looked after?”
“They’re fine,” Tal assured her.
“Because if there’s anything they need –”
“Don’t worry. I saw them this morning.”
Isabelle nodded. “Well, that’s good at least. How’s Kelahil?”
“He’s doing all right, all things considered.”
“He doesn’t know where his parents are, does he?”
“No,” Tal told her.
“Well, that’s something,” Isabelle said. Then she shook her head and rose to her feet. “Tal, this is ridiculous. You should go. Take Lorial and the others with you. There’s nothing to be done by waiting around here. Go to Khalahi. Hope that the dragons have no interest in any of the Southern Lands yet and work on your plans there.”
“I don’t know...” Tal started but Morgiana stopped him, holding his hand.
“The queen’s right, Tal,” she said. “It’s time to go.”
“But to flee –”
“We’re not fleeing,” Morgiana told him. “We’re regrouping.”
“How long have we been here now?” Kaolin murmured as she sat up and looked around the room that held her, Keld, Kaodas and Lord Asmundyr prisoner.
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