“And you say there is nothing anyone can do?”
Ethan pulled up two chairs and placed them in front of Illyrian. “I’m hoping that once the elves get here, they might find a way to reach her.”
The door opened and the woman wheeled out a silver trolley on which stood a steaming pot and three cups. After pouring the tea, she handed one each to Lynial and Ethan, and then took the final cup for herself. “Lady Illyrian won’t drink tea when other people are here,” she explained. “And I wouldn’t want her throwing it at you.”
“I understand,” said Lynial. “Thank you.”
The woman left the porch and made her way over to a bench across the garden.
Lynial looked to Ethan with barely contained emotion. “What should I say?”
“I usually just talk about what I’ve been doing,” he replied, blowing the steam from his cup.
Lynial nodded and took a breath before starting to recount what he had been doing for the past few weeks. Most of it was simple, day-to-day activities. Just occasionally Ethan thought he saw a glint of recognition in his mother’s eyes, though it was gone before he could be certain. They stayed for more than an hour, during which time Illyrian never spoke a single word.
Lynial finally stood. “I will see you again soon, My Lady.” He bent down to kiss her hand, but she jerked it back and held it close to her breast.
“I think she needs to rest,” said Ethan.
“Yes. Of course.”
The walk back to the guest house was made in somber silence. The guilt eating away at Lynial was plain to see. Ethan wanted to comfort him, but the truth was, he felt just as guilty himself. When Lynial first told him of where he’d imprisoned her, he’d immediately had her brought to his complex, which at the time was still under construction. Lylinora had warned him against releasing her from the crystal, but he’d ignored her advice. Upon being freed, his mother uttered only two words before sending a wall of fire hurtling toward him.
“Kill me,” she screamed. Her crazed expression and maniacal voice still haunted him.
When they reached the main part of the complex, they saw people hanging a variety of brightly colored lanterns and streamers from the awnings. Tables were also being moved into neat rows, and three men were gathered together tuning musical instruments.
“What’s all this?” Lynial asked.
“Kat promised the children a party when she returned from seeing her father,” Ethan replied. “In truth, I think everyone here is in need of some fun. News from the outside has been stressful on them.”
“I wouldn’t let it trouble you,” said Lynial. “We knew this would be a difficult time. We’ll see it through.”
A young boy no more than seven years’ old with red curly hair and a bright smile ran up as they were nearing the next path.
“Lord Dragonvein,” he called, out of breath.
Ethan placed his hands on his hips and let out an exaggerated sigh. “What is it now, Chaudry? Did you set your bed on fire again?”
The child stopped short, looking hurt. “That was an accident. Besides, it was my sister’s fault. She bet me I couldn’t cast the spell.”
“And if she bet you that you couldn’t jump of a cliff, would you do it anyway?”
Ethan winced at his own words. They were exactly the same as what his mother would say when his friends dared him to do something he knew he shouldn’t.
Chaudry kicked at the grass, averting his eyes. “No.”
Ethan couldn’t contain his amusement. Mussing the boy’s hair, he knelt down. “Go ahead. Tell me what you want.”
“I was just wondering who all the extra people are. My sister said that some new mages arrived today with Lady Kat. Is it true?”
“Only one of them is a mage.” Ethan gestured to his left. “My cousin Lynial here is a very powerful mage.”
“Not more powerful than you, I bet.”
“I don’t know,” Ethan said, winking at his cousin. “He’s pretty powerful. Maybe if you stay out of trouble, I’ll ask him to give a demonstration before he leaves.”
The child’s eyes lit up. “Really?”
Lynial leaned forward, his formal manner a stark contrast to Ethan’s. “Yes. But like Lord Dragonvein said, only if you stay out of trouble.”
“I will. I promise.” Chaudry turned to hurry toward a small group of children a few yards away, then slid to a halt. “Are you going to be our new teacher?”
“As much as I would enjoy that, I’m afraid not,” replied Lynial, now smiling broadly. “I came to celebrate the greatest man ever to live on Lumnia.”
The boy crinkled his tiny forehead. “You mean Lord Dragonvein?”
“Why would you say that?” Lynial asked.
“Because he beat Shinzan. Everyone knows he’s the greatest hero ever.”
Ethan sighed. “Go on now. Play with your friends.”
As they continued toward the house, Ethan noticed Lynial shooting him an amused look.
“I don’t encourage them to think that,” he said, though Lynial hadn’t spoken a word.
“I know. But even here your legend grows. In Malacar, they built -”
“The temple,” he said, cutting him short. “I know. Don’t remind me.”
On reaching the guest house, they found Halvar, Ganix, and Markus sitting together on the porch, enjoying a bottle of wine. Markus sprang up and bounded over to meet them.
“It’s about time you showed up,” Ethan said, hugging his friend and slapping him fondly on the arm. “Where’s Lylinora and your daughter?”
“We left Elaina back home with Estella. As far as my wife goes...” Markus paused to roll his eyes. “She’s probably with Kat finding new reasons to be mad at me. Did you have to tell her everything we did in England? You know she just repeats it to Lylinora the first chance she gets.”
“You shouldn’t have been such a ladies’ man,” teased Ethan.
“Yeah...well...she’s with Kat, getting ready.”
Ethan joined the others on the porch and poured himself a glass of wine. They had barely sat down when Halvar retrieved a bottle of whiskey from a sack he had placed beside his chair.
“How go things in Kytain?” the dwarf king asked Lynial.
“Slow,” he replied. “They are still convinced Al’ Theona and Ralmaria are planning an attack. They’ve been gathering men all along the border. And of course, Traxis has done the same. The only kingdom who seems content to accept peace is Malacar.”
“They fear the wrath of Ethan Dragonvein more than the others,” said King Ganix. “Or at least, that is what Keira believes. I suppose that’s why they built the temple.”
Ethan groaned. “I’m sick of hearing about that damn temple. I swear sometimes I’m tempted to go there and blast it apart, stone by stone.”
Halvar huffed . “Yes. That would certainly set their minds at ease.”
“Actually, there are some who are calling for your intervention,” said Lynial. “Though my wife is not among them, many of the noble houses have sent petitions asking her to send for you.”
“No offense to the queen,” said Ethan. “Or to you. But you can send for me all you want. I’m still not getting involved.”
“And if war breaks out?” asked Halvar.
“Then Kat and I will go to the Dragon Wastes. We’ve been over this a hundred times before. I will not take sides. People have to want peace. If I force it on them, nothing will have changed.”
“And if you don’t, many people could die,” Markus pointed out.
Ethan leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temple. “You know why I can’t. You know what I saw in the heart of Lumnia. I won’t let it happen. This school is the only way.”
“I agree that this place is a good idea,” said Halvar. “I said that when you first explained it to me. Yet is it enough?”
“And as much as I hate to tell you,” added Markus, “There are rumors already spreading about what goes on here.”
“Wha
t rumors?”
“Nonsense, mostly. That you are building a mage army. Summoning demons. Things like that.”
Ethan gave a hollow laugh. “That’s ridiculous. No one in their right mind would believe that.”
“True. Most people don’t. All the same, it’s enough to cause doubt. And doubt breeds fear. I don’t have to tell you what stupid things people can do when they’re scared.”
Lynial snatched the whiskey bottle from King Halvar. “Enough of this. We focus on the negatives, when we should be grateful. It will take time, but the other kingdoms will come around eventually. No one wants more war. And so long as Ethan’s legend persists, there are few willing to risk doing anything that would cause him to step foot from this place. All the bluster in the world doesn’t change that.” He turned up the bottle and took several large gulps.
“Indeed,” agreed Ganix. He took the bottle from Lynial and took a much smaller drink. “We have come here to celebrate, not to labor over things beyond our control. My people are free for the first time in five hundred years. We have farms and villages now, and we trade openly with both human and elf. Whatever troubles await us, we will endure and prosper.”
“As will we,” called Keira from the far edge of the garden.
Halvar looked in her direction. “I sometimes forget how keen an elf’s hearing is,” he remarked.
Keira strode toward them. She was wearing a masterfully tailored silver silk blouse and form-fitting pants, while her hair was woven into a series of tight braids secured at the ends with a single onyx bead. Once on the porch, she surveyed the assembly with a disapproving frown. “This is how you dress for a celebration?”
“I was unaware that this was a formal gathering,” said Lynial, feigning embarrassment.
“A proper lord would know better,” she scolded.
“And a proper lady would wear a gown,” countered Markus with a playful grin.
She stiffened and jutted her chin. “I’ll have you know that this is precisely what an elf woman would wear to the grandest of occasions. That your women choose cumbersome rags is their own fault.”
Ethan clicked his tongue. “Now, Keira, you know good and well that elves wear gowns too. I’ve seen them. You just hate anything you can’t run in.”
Her mouth twitched from the effort of suppressing a smile. “That is not the point.”
“Then what is?” Markus chipped in.
“That my current attire is considered formal. What the rest of you are wearing isn’t suitable for a tavern.”
Ethan spotted Kat and Lylinora rounding the corner of the house – both were wearing elegant though not exceedingly formal gowns.
“Don’t bother with this lot,” Lylinora said. “Especially Markus. It’s a miracle I can even get him to wash his hands before a meal.”
Ethan rose to kiss her on her cheek. “He was always a bit rough around the edges.”
Lylinora frowned. “Yes. I know.” She gave Markus a stern look. “If he wasn’t such a handsome lout, I would have left him long ago.”
He opened his mouth to respond, but Lylinora quickly pressed a finger to his lips. “Perhaps you should just stand there and look handsome. Then maybe I’ll forget what you did in the…where was it? Oh, yes, The Bone and Barrel.”
Markus moaned. “You told her about that?”
Kat spread her hands. “What can I say? It’s a funny story.”
“Not when you tell it to my wife, it isn’t.”
The entire group burst into laughter. In the distance, they could hear that the musicians had already begun playing. Kat ushered everyone inside to the dining room. The cook, along with two assistants, arrived with the food a short time later. Though the feast was simple, it was well prepared, and the cook paid special attention to King Ganix’s reaction, not leaving until the old dwarf gave him an approving smile.
After dinner, they retired to the living room, where Ethan lit the hearth. Kat served each a glass of brandy as they stood in a semi-circle around the fire. For several minutes, no one spoke, nor did they raise their glass.
Finally, Ethan stepped forward, a look of deep reflection in his eyes. “I am very grateful to all of you for coming. I know how hard it is for you to make time for anything other than your duties, but I felt this was long past due. It’s been four years since the war ended. Four years since we saw hope restored to Lumnia. And while I know there are still many challenges left to face, I have no doubt that peace…lasting peace…will be restored.”
He paused to look at each of his friends in turn. “If it wasn’t for all of you, none of this would have been possible. Shinzan would still be alive, and I would have been killed the first week I arrived here. I sure as hell wouldn’t have made it this far.”
Halvar cleared his throat. “Well…don’t you be giving me too much credit, lad. I did try to kill you.”
Ethan laughed. “True. And you almost succeeded.”
“And I turned you over to the Hareesh,” added Markus.
“And I almost roasted you alive,” said Lylinora.
“I wanted to kill you,” said Keira. “But my father wouldn’t allow it.”
Ethan blew out a long breath. “Okay. Maybe I survived in spite of you.” He looked upon the smiling faces of his friends. “Seriously. I wouldn’t be here without you. I just wanted to say thank you. And that I love you.”
They all raised their glasses and took a small sip.
“I’m feeling a bit left out,” remarked Ganix.
“Why?” asked Ethan.
“Well, other than Kat, I’m the only one here who didn’t either try to murder you, or attempt to persuade someone else to.” He shook his head.
“It’s not too late,” teased Kat, wrapping an arm around Ethan’s waist. “We can always wait until he goes to sleep.”
This lightened the mood considerably. The music drifting in through the half-open window was now joined with the sounds of people laughing and singing.
“Well, enough talk about killing me, if you don’t mind,” Ethan smiled. “I asked you all here so that we can pay respect to those we lost, and to honor our greatest hero. A man whose name goes unspoken, yet through us, will never be forgotten.”
“Hear, hear,” said Markus.
“Though I am given credit for killing Shinzan, all of you here know what really happened,” Ethan continued. “In the end, it wasn’t powerful mages or terrible armies that defeated him, it was the courage of one man who was willing to risk everything in order to rid this world of evil. Though I don’t think I’ll ever know why he did it, that doesn’t really matter. Thanks to Kat’s father, I’ve learn a little bit about him.”
He drew a breath. “Lord Vraylic Grimlund was a modest man. He enjoyed simple pleasures and had little ambition beyond the security of his family. That was what prompted him to join the Imperial army. Not to conquer or kill. Just to ensure that they were safe. He was a clerk, not a warrior. No one is left alive to tell about his time with Shinzan, or to say how he ended up as his personal servant. Markus was the last person to know him, and that was only for a short time. So there is no way to really know how Vraylic found the courage to accomplish what the mightiest among us could not. Did he always possess such courage? Who knows? The fact remains, everyone here owes him their lives, and it is fitting that we gather here to honor him.”
Ethan raised his glass high. “To Lumnia’s greatest hero, Lord Vraylic Grimlund.”
In unison, the gathering of friends spoke his name and drained their glasses.
For a time, they sat around the hearth, speaking of those they had lost. Halvar recounted how Birger had saved Ethan from the assassins he had sent. Only Keira had not heard the tale before, but all listened as if it was the first time.
Keira told stories of her father’s bravery, and of how he had convinced her to escort Ethan to the Dragon Wastes. He was actually surprised to hear how resistant she had been to this, then even more astonished to learn that she had actually begged he
r father to let her kill him.
Not to be outdone, Ethan told of how Jonas had originally brought him to Lumnia: a story only Markus and Kat had heard in full. Ganix began peppering him with questions about the machinery he spoke of. He was in the middle of describing what a tank was when a knock came at the door. This was followed by the tiny voices of children begging for Lady Kat to come outside.
Ethan pushed himself to his feet. “I think it’s time we joined the party. After all, I did tell the students that this was the Festival of Lord Vraylic.”
This was met by enthusiastic agreement.
The party was in full swing by the time they arrived. It soon became clear why the children were so eager for Kat to join them when she began sending balls of fire high into the night sky, each one exploding into showers of brilliant colors. Some took on the shapes of animals, while others spun and sizzled until they had almost reached the ground before finally vanishing with a loud pop.
King Halvar and King Ganix drew particular interest from the older men and women, some having never laid eyes on a dwarf before. Halvar did his best to be as polite as possible, though after a time was clearly growing weary of the endless questions coming his way. Ganix, on the other hand, seemed to genuinely enjoy the attention, even taking note of those who would soon be going to Borgen.
Keira and the others passed most of the night dancing, drinking, and wholeheartedly joining in with the celebrations. Being able to spend most of the past four years among her people had lightened her heart considerably, especially now that they were no longer hunted by the Empire and free to move about openly. At one point, she even allowed Ethan to persuade her into singing an elf song. It was enthusiastically received by all, which caused her smile to grow even wider.
When the celebration finally began winding down, Ethan’s head was swimming from drink and he knew he should call it a night. Nevertheless, it still took Kat insisting they should go home to make him actually do so. He had not felt so carefree in a very long time. For a few hours, all the troubles of the world had ceased to exist. He was not anxious for their return.
Dragonvein Book Five Page 33
