King's Dragon: Chronicles of the Dragon-Bound: Book 2

by William Culbertson

  On their way back to the tent they shared, Dax asked Scarlet, “Are you with Pulla as much as I think you are?”

  Scarlet was lost in thought. “Hmm?” he responded.

  “Do you suppose Pulchra thinks you are giving Pulla wrestling lessons?” Dax gibed. That got Scarlet’s attention.

  “What? Wait,” he gasped. “I mean, we’ve just been talking.”

  Dax smiled. “Talking is good, but remember who her father is. Have you studied Ugori courtship rituals?”

  His friend looked at him with alarm. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, you seem well on the way to creating a special claim on that lady’s affections. The Ugori take courtship seriously. Do you?”

  Scarlet was silent for the rest of the walk. Back at their tent, Dax poked up the remains of their fire, and they sat looking up at the sky as the final light of the sun faded. The Star River arched up out of the eastern horizon behind them and flowed on toward where the sun had set.

  Finally Scarlet spoke. “Pulla is different from other girls I’ve met.” He sat looking thoughtful before he continued. “I don’t know what it is, but I feel . . . I don’t know . . . happy, I guess, when I’m around her.”

  “What about all the fair ladies in Frohliem City and the palace?”

  Scarlet shrugged, then smiled. “Yeah, they are all fun and good-looking enough. Sort of a challenge, you know? Can I get them to notice me? Can I keep them entertained?”

  “From what I’ve been able to tell, you do good work,” Dax observed dryly.

  “I suppose, but it’s like a big game.” Scarlet stared up at the sky for a time. “Every time Pulla and I see something together, it’s like I’m seeing it for the first time all over again.” He sighed. “Like last night. It was after dark, and there came Darda, the dart, charging along through the sky.” Scarlet gestured helplessly with his hand. “It made me feel good to point it out to her. She laughed at me and said it meant I had to give her a kiss.”

  Dax was sure of the answer, but he had to ask, “And did you?”

  Scarlet turned toward him, and in the dim light of the rekindled fire, Dax saw he was grinning. “Now that is a silly question.”

  “You’re right, of course. You’re still Scarlet, after all.”

  “After all,” Scarlet echoed. After a time, he muttered, “Courtship, huh?” After another pause, he quietly added, “Wow.”

  #

  “Dax, Bindle and I need to talk with you.” Kahshect’s thought woke Dax from sleep.

  He sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes. “What time is it?” he thought in reply. He could feel Kahshect’s presence nearby.

  “Well past the middle of the night.”

  He sighed and swung his legs off his cot. He had been with the Ugori for several months, and the tent was a familiar place. His trousers were laid over the stool by the bed, and he dressed quickly. The fires around the camp had burned low. The stars had shifted well into the west, but there was no glow of light yet in the east. The two sentries on station at the edge of camp got to their feet when they heard him approach. “Good morning, Commander Dax,” the first said, recognizing him.

  For a moment Dax fumbled through his still sleepy memory for the man’s name. “Is it morning, Stasia? Still looks like night to me.”

  Stasia smiled. “Right enough, but second watch is well along. The false dawn will start to bloom before long.”

  “We’ve got some visitors.” Dax gestured toward the silhouette of the low hill beyond the circle of the camp. “I need to go out and talk to them.”

  Concerned, the second sentry spoke up. “Visitors? We haven’t heard anything but the rustle of the wind in the last hour.”

  “You’re right, Philometra.” Dax nodded to the second sentry. “That rustling you heard was probably them arriving. They’ve stayed well away from the camp so they didn’t startle anyone.”

  Stasia reached down and lit a torch from their small fire. “I’ll go with you, sir, if you don’t mind. It’s not like we’re in hostile territory, but you are the commander and all.”

  “Very good. It’s a short walk, but there are dragons there, Stasia.”

  “Dragons, sir?” the man gulped.

  “Dragons,” Dax confirmed.

  “Well, if you know what you are doing, we’d best not keep them waiting,”

  As they walked, Stasia peppered him with questions from tales about dragons the Ugori told. Dax admired the man’s composure, since he had obviously never seen a dragon.

  “I’m glad to see they sent someone to hold your hand in the dark,” taunted Kahshect.

  “He’s an escort,” Dax replied out loud.

  “How’s that, sir?” asked Stasia.

  “Sorry. I was speaking to Kahshect, my bondmate.” When the man did not say anything, Dax added, “He’s a dragon.”

  Stasia stopped. “You’re not kidding, are you? I’d heard you were dragon-bound and all that, but you really talk with dragons?”

  They started walking again. “Only my bondmate, and only when he has something to say.” Dax wondered if the man found that reassuring.

  “Only when you need to hear a good dose of common sense is more like it,” Kahshect replied, but Dax did not relay that thought to Stasia. He was wondering what concerns might have motivated the visit.

  There was a small fire burning before a large rock. A figure stood beside it. Once he was close enough, Dax recognized Treyhorn and embraced her. Too low for Stasia to hear, he murmured, “Aunt Bindle.”

  She hugged him back affectionately. “There is trouble brewing with the dragons,” she said after she released him. “We have word of another ship headed to the Dragon Lands. This one is supposed to land a group of armed settlers and set up a trading outpost.”

  “I wondered what was so urgent that you would come in at night.” Dax thought for a moment. “That’s crazy,” he declared. “The dragons will never tolerate that.”

  “What’s particularly strange is that they are headed for the western side.”

  “It’s beyond stupid. They’ll be attacked the moment they land.”

  “We’ve heard they are out of Wellock, and the expedition was organized by traders from the South.” Treyhorn gestured at the ground by the fire, and she sat down with Dax by the rock. Stasia remained standing. Once Dax was seated, the rock shifted position behind him and stuck its head in his lap. Dax patted Kahshect and leaned back against the dragon. “Stasia, meet Kahshect. And please have a seat if you want to stay.” The dragon raised his head and looked at Stasia with his large eyes, luminous in the reflected firelight.

  The man fidgeted nervously. “If it’s all the same, sir. I think I will be getting back. It appears you are safe here.”

  “I think the man is just short of peeing himself.”

  “I agree,” Dax said to both, then added to the Ugori guard, “Thank you, Stasia.”

  Once the man had gone, Dax and Treyhorn got down to business. “So what can we do?” Dax asked.

  Treyhorn used a stick to poke the fire. “The conclave would like you and me to fly out to try to head them off.”

  “You and me?”

  “We’re up next.” She shrugged. “By the way, are you having a problem here? We were directed to the Ugori encampment, not Frohliem City. I thought you were to be a political advisor this time.”

  Dax grimaced. “Politics is a twisted sport in East Landly.” He filled Treyhorn and Kahshect in on how he had ended up as commander of a troop of Ugori.

  “So it’s due to machinations by this Lady Aylssandra?” Treyhorn asked.

  “That’s my guess, but like I said, most of this is still just suspicions.” Dax paused. “Carmodi is not out and about much yet, but he has two of his aides keeping their eyes open. We’re hoping Aylssandra and her allies will tip their hands.”

  “So far she’s done a pretty good job of tipping you out of the picture.”

  “Ah,” Dax sighed. “Kahshect agrees that I’ve do
ne a miserable job.”

  “I wouldn’t say ‘miserable,’” Treyhorn observed. “But whatever she’s doing, she seems to have done it well—so far. The unsuccessful poisoning of Carmodi was a misstep, but only because of your experience.” She thought for a while. “Can you be away for a month? That’s how long this mission to the Dragon Lands is likely to take.”

  “You’re having fun with the horsemen, aren’t you?”

  Dax ignored the dragon and replied to Treyhorn. “The Ugori are doing fine. Carmodi is recovering, but the mission to negotiate a royal wedding is still on hold. Nothing appears likely to change for a while, although with Kankasi you never know for sure.” Dax shrugged. “Renshau insisted on the usual ‘business and missions for the dragon-bound conclave’ in the contract, so I’m covered on that end too.”

  “Can you be ready to go today?” Treyhorn asked.

  “I should be able to get everything organized before midday,” Dax replied.

  Chapter 8

  Stasia struggled to balance two conflicting emotions. He was hugely curious about the dragons and wanted to be as close as possible to see everything about the beasts. However, they terrified him. Although the size of the dragon had startled him last night in the flickering light of the campfire, it was not the dimensions of the beasts that bothered him. Stasia had been around the huge draft horses the supply corps used to provide their provisions. The dragons were maybe two to three times as big—not overwhelmingly large. No, what bothered him was that when the dragon looked him in the eye last night, he knew there was a mind inside that large body looking back—looking back, and evaluating what it saw. That and the care with which the dragons moved told Stasia these were no ordinary animals.

  Therefore, today he had prudently positioned himself in the second row of the group waiting to say good-bye to Commander Dax. He stood still. He even swallowed carefully to avoid being noticed. Standing behind the commander with its head twice his height above the ground, the commander’s dragon surveyed the group with casual dominance. Some distance farther back stood another dragon and the woman the commander had met with last night. The commander had said her name was Treyhorn, and they were related. He shook his head as he thought about a family reunion with dragons.

  Commander Dax had a pack of supplies slung over his shoulder and stood at the edge of the group. He spoke to Major Scarlet and Markadamous. Stasia strained to hear. “I should be back within the month. Can you keep this group out of trouble that long?”

  Markadamous smiled back. “’Tis no trouble at all as long as they think we are doing what we are supposed to be doing, and doing it at the command of their good leader from Iron Moor.”

  Stasia had heard that both the commander and Scarlet were from Iron Moor Academy. He had never heard of the place until he had met Commander Dax, but now he wished he had been able to train there. Scarlet’s skill with a blade was amazing, but it was the commander he admired most. Markadamous had been their commander, and he was a good leader in his own right. However, when Commander Dax looked at you, the man took the measure of your heart. Stasia knew he would do anything to live up to the commander’s standards.

  Commander Dax turned to the watching group, and Stasia straightened up as the man looked at him. “Members of the Dark Horse Rangers.” Now the commander’s voice easily carried to the entire group. “I am taking a short leave to attend to important business between men and dragons. While I am gone, Markadamous will continue your training. You know him, and I expect you to obey him as you would me.”

  “Now then . . .” Commander Dax paused and leaned forward. He acted as if he was speaking confidentially, but his tones still carried to the whole group. “When I return, you should have been on your good behavior long enough that I can put in a request to take the Rangers out on maneuvers. Say maybe up toward the Gemmick hill country?” After a brief pause to absorb the news, they looked at each other and cheered. They would have a chance to visit their homes!

  The commander held up his hands, and the group quieted down. “I can’t promise anything certain, because I’m not held in the highest regards in the palace.” Yes, Stasia had heard that story. “However, if you stay out of trouble, we should qualify for detached maneuvers. I swear by the Goddess I will try my best for you.” Well, that reservation took a little wind from his sails, but Stasia knew the commander was a man of his word. Besides, the commander was dragon-bound. He had said he would do all he could for them, and he would.

  Commander Dax waved to the crowd and turned away toward the dragons. Stasia fully expected him to mount his dragon like a great steed and fly off into the sky. What happened instead was even more amazing. Another dragon flew up from behind a nearby rise. This one was larger than the other two combined. It beat its heavy wings in the sky and flew to the open space where the other dragons stood waiting. It landed with an audible thump that Stasia felt through the ground as well.

  The crowd around him reflexively shied back. Stasia swallowed nervously. His heart had leaped into his throat at the sight. The beast was clearly a dragon, but it was immense by any standard. Its long wings seemed to shade a whole acre of ground until it tucked them up under its sides. The dragon’s neck was shorter than the others, the head broader and flatter. Two sharp horns pointed forward. Atop the dragon’s shoulders, two saddles were strapped around under its chest and belly.

  Commander Dax approached the huge dragon, and it lowered itself to the ground. The commander reached for one of the girth straps and put his foot into a D ring anchored there. Up he went, using the rings until he was atop the monster. He settled into one of the saddles, and the woman mounted the beast the same way. The two strapped themselves and their packs to the back of their saddles. At last Commander Dax waved to the crowd. The enormous beast shook out its wings and, with a great downward sweep, launched itself into the air.

  The abrupt departure created a blast of wind that hurled dust outward. Stasia turned away and covered his eyes. When he blinked away the grit in his eyes, the great beast had already pulled itself into the sky high enough that the two figures looked like toys tied to its prodigious back. The other two dragons leaped into the sky in similar fashion. This time Stasia looked away before the gust of wind arrived.

  The crowd stood and watched the marvelous sight. In just minutes the departing dragons had disappeared from view. Markadamous clapped his hands together and raised his voice for attention. “That was a sight I’ll remember for a long time!” he announced. Glancing around at the group, he smiled. “Well now. Do you suppose we’d better get to work? We’re not on vacation now that the commander’s gone. Let’s be gettin’ a few things done so we can take a little trip when he gets back.”

  Stasia turned away and headed toward the south corral where his horse was grazing. It was time to go and get saddled up for the morning’s drill.

  Chapter 9

  The beat of the drakon’s wings was soothingly familiar after five days on its back. Dax shifted his flight goggles on his face. No matter how he wore them, they were never comfortable for more than a few minutes at a time. At the end of the day, both he and Treyhorn had large circles around their eyes where their eye protection pressed against their skin. Even though he sat side by side with Treyhorn, the wind rushing past his ears was too loud for conversation. Anything he needed to tell her, he could relay through Kahshect to Namkafnir to her. Awkward, but they could communicate.

  They kept their pace conservative—two hours of flight followed by at least an hour’s grazing time for the drakon, repeated three times during the day. The other dragons hunted at need, but they had to pace the drakon. It was powerful enough to carry them long distances, but it needed grazing time like a horse.

  The second day, they reached Iron Moor and spent the night. They did not want to attract attention when they arrived, so they waited out of sight on the shore of the Circular Sea east of the academy. After Renshau sent word that the corps had finished evening retreat and gone to
quarters, they flew on to the commandant’s home. Dax had not expected to return quite so soon to the academy, but he welcomed the familiar feel of the place as they left the dragons in the pasture near the residence.

  Renshau had fresh news. The ship bound for the Dragon Lands was due to sail any day from Wellock, the northernmost port in West Landly. This would be the fifth intrusion to the Dragon Lands of which they were certain, but the dragons had heard rumors of two others. Of the first four, three ships had been headed off before they made landfall. There was no word of the fate of the other. If they or any others had succeeded in getting ashore, all were surely lost.

  The ships all had pursued different goals and had left from different ports. The one objective they had shared was landing in the Dragon Lands. What was going on? Mariners were well aware that the Great Treaty with dragonkind ended at the shore of the Dragon Lands.

  People questioned from the ships told a similar story. Two or three spellbinding people had recruited each group. They had made it sound perfectly reasonable that they would be allowed to settle, to mine, to harvest timber, or to hunt for dragons’ teeth. The idea that they could find dragons’ teeth was amusing in a dark way. If they landed, they would surely find dragons’ teeth—with dragons still attached.

  The original recruiters had provided financing and other resources to start the expeditions. Officers, appointed by the recruiters to lead the missions, had clear directions and explicit instructions. After they were intercepted by the dragon-bound, common sense finally had prevailed, and the ships had turned back. However, none of the recruiters who had spoken so glowingly of riches before the voyage could be found.

  Renshau, Treyhorn, and Dax speculated over supper and later as they watched the sunset from the commandant’s deck overlooking the Circular Sea. They speculated, but found no new insights.