The Dragon's Eye (The Draconarid Book 1)

by Nira Steele

  “Ugh, good grief,” Andie groaned as she dropped her head into her lap.

  “Don’t be silly!” Tessa added with chuckle. “We all know you attract these dramas. What’s the point in feeling bad about it? You should just go and throw on your riding gear right now. Then we can sneak out and spend the morning doing some gardening before your flight.”

  “I’ll get dressed,” Andie muttered into her knees.

  Once they were ready they made their way to the Horticulture Hall. It took some time as they had to keep pausing to avoid the townsfolk in the corridors.

  Shortly after they arrived Tessa found a task to keep Andie occupied for the morning. Finding a spot in a secluded corner she placed several trays along a wooden bench. Laying out some equipment she quickly set up a simple planting system. After a round of instruction Tessa left Andie alone to do some seeding.

  Beaming with satisfaction Andie squished another seed into its little receptacle. Who knew gardening could be so relaxing?

  Andie’s happy solitude did not last for long though. One of Tessa’s co-workers managed to track her down rather quickly. Andie recognised little Ariel as soon as she laid eyes upon her. It was hard to forget the amazing scene with her newborn child last night.

  Ariel had insisted quite emphatically on helping Andie this morning. Dressed in a pair of tan overalls she seemed very keen to do some gardening with her. Sitting down right across from Andie, she had begun to plant seeds as well. However it soon became apparent why Ariel was so eager to assist her today. Like most of the township she was well aware of where Andie had been last night.

  “I’m so glad to be finally talking to the Dragon’s Eye!” Ariel declared enthusiastically. “I wanted to speak to you last night but I couldn’t manage it with my baby.”

  Trying not to cringe Andie responded, “It’s fine. You were busy with your family.” She really wasn’t keen on the nickname she had been given.

  “So… I heard a rumour Lady Sanna was wearing red last night. It is true?” Ariel asked her coyly.

  Andie had no idea how Ariel would know about this. The Draconarid’s knack for obtaining information was truly impressive.

  “Oh yes, it was a very vivid shade,” Andie replied. “The colour was almost a blood orange which looked amazing against her skin.” As she suspected, Ariel wanted to know all about the royal family.

  “At least she wasn’t dressed in black again,” Ariel muttered. Frowning slightly her deep blue eyes wandered over the trays.

  Smirking, Andie plucked another seed from a container.

  “She would look gorgeous in literally anything she wore. Lady Sanna could throw on a sugar sack and still be fabulous,” she joked.

  Chuckling, the two young women continued chatting as they worked. It was wonderfully peaceful when Andie had first arrived in the Horticulture Hall. There were only a dozen gardeners here at this time of the day.

  As the morning rolled on things began to change though. A slow but steady trickle of people started entering the hall. They were all dressed differently and most looked a bit lost - it was quite obvious they had no actual business here. This was not a place for strolling so there could only be one reason for their presence.

  Sure enough, eventually somebody approached Andie.

  Now normally she would have loathed this kind of attention. Being the subject of great interest had never been Andie’s thing. However today she had simply decided to accept it.

  Things were very different for her now. The townspeople’s behaviour towards Andie had changed dramatically overnight.

  Each of the Lunarians who approached her was incredibly polite today. They all kept a respectable distance and did not attempt to touch her. Each person would interrupt her carefully before asking just one well-worded question. Speaking in English, they would request some information about the royal family. Once they had received an answer they would then withdraw into the greenery. They all waited patiently in turn, carefully taking their time before coming over.

  Lurking in the foliage they tried to appear interested in the plants. However they weren’t of course so they ended up looking rather awkward and confused.

  A few of the more cautious people just did a lap of the area. They seemed satisfied with simply catching a glimpse of her today. Initially Andie found it a bit disconcerting but as the morning wore on she grew used to it.

  She had come to realise this was a good thing. Hiding her, keeping her away from people was not the way to manage this. Just like the banquet the night before she needed to be exposed to the people of the township.

  This was also proving to be a great exercise in public relations for the royal family. All the information Andie was providing was being incredibly well received. It wasn’t hard answering anyone’s questions either as they were all pretty much the same.

  “Let me know if you get sick of all these people bothering you. I can get rid of them in a heartbeat,” Ariel offered.

  “It’s fine. Everyone is being so polite,” Andie responded with a smile.

  “Oh good. So did Lord Savas talk to you at all?” Ariel asked. The twin brother of Lady Sanna was a subject of considerable interest.

  “No, he pretty much ignored me. Why is everyone asking about him?”

  “He’s younger than Lord Laurentius and more accessible as marriage material. He is a prankster though and loves to confuse the palace staff.”

  “That explains a lot,” Andie noted with a little frown. “He was wearing a veil and makeup when I saw him.”

  “Would you believe he was responsible for that trend? People thought he was Sanna and started copying him. Was he dressed in red too?”

  “No, he was wearing a black robe.”

  “What a shame. He’s still in mourning then. At least Lady Sanna was dressed in something brighter. Both of the twins have been wearing dark colours since their mother died.”

  “Oh my god! I haven’t heard about this,” Andie declared as her eyes shot wide.

  “It’s been ten years since she passed and they still haven’t gotten over it. Their mother was Lady Laelia - a truly remarkable woman. One day she went out flying and never returned. Nobody knew for ages until the palace announced her body had been found. She was known for taking risks, so perhaps she pushed her luck too far?”

  “How sad,” Andie muttered. “So you don’t know how she died?”

  “Nobody does,” Ariel responded with a little sigh. “Lady Laelia was the shining light of this place. She was so vibrant, so full of life… we used to see her everywhere around the town. In fact, we used to see all the royal family. The only one who comes out nowadays is Lord Laurentius.”

  “He’s older than the twins isn’t he?”

  “Yes, he’s one hundred and eighty five years old. His siblings just turned one hundred and twenty.”

  “Wow, none of them are very old.”

  “Nope,” Ariel replied with a shake of her head. “Overlord Tiberius had children quite late. From what I’ve heard it took him some time to convince Lady Laelia to marry. She was much younger than him which may account for her reluctance.”

  Andie really had learnt a lot of new things from Ariel this morning. One of her biggest discoveries was the history of the royal family. Their bloodline had ruled unbroken here for over fifteen hundred years. Nobody had ever challenged them as leaders of this House.

  As one of the few Houses to survive the Sundering they worked hard to reunite the fractured Draconarid world. They made treaties with the remaining Houses which ushered in an era of peace. The rulers of Lunaris weren’t just a bunch of pretty faces - they were extraordinary diplomats as well.

  And their power was all around her. Whether it was a monolithic gem sitting in a fountain, or a huge crystal hanging in a hall, they were all a part of a vast network spanning the entire township.

  Now Andie was really starting to see why they were revered so highly. Absently toying with her seed tray she decided it was time to change th
e subject.

  “I’m really looking forward to your wedding next week. I hope your relatives are pleased about it.”

  “They are now, which is all that really matters,” Ariel responded with a little smirk.

  Andie broke into a big smile. She could not help but admire Ariel’s tenacity. Barely a hundred years old, the plucky Draconarid had gone to great lengths to secure her relationship.

  “It’s been really difficult but my fiancé’s family has finally accepted me. Becoming pregnant might sound extreme but it was the only way I could change their minds. To be honest I’m really glad it’s all over.” Sighing wistfully Ariel gazed up towards the ceiling. “Can you imagine how hard it is restraining your urges for nine months?”

  “Um, what do you mean exactly?” Andie said with an awkward grimace.

  Cracking a huge grin Ariel exclaimed, “I’m talking about flying you naughty thing!”

  “Oh no! I wasn’t thinking that at all!” Andie gasped.

  “Shall I tell you what I meant?” Ariel drawled. Leaning over the table, the cheeky young woman gave her a wink.

  Glancing around Andie leaned forward too.

  Ariel dropped her voice and whispered, “I had to resist the instinct to go flying you see. If I had changed into a dragon my child would have disappeared.”

  This time Andie’s chin nearly hit the table.

  “We cannot transform another living being,” Ariel explained. “It’s the reason why birth rates are so low here.”

  Andie sat back as her mind began reeling… completely stunned all she could do was stare blankly at the table. Then she shook her head and quickly composed herself.

  Looking up she breathed, “Well this is a surprise because when I was a little girl I -”

  “Enough!” Tessa blared over the top of her. The little Draconarid had managed to creep up behind Andie. Scrunching her fingers within her long gloves, she glared down at the top of her friend’s head.

  “It’s time you headed off for your flight,” Tessa growled menacingly.

  Ariel started giggling as she exclaimed, “Honestly Tessa! What’s gotten into you this morning? You sound like a crabby old woman.”

  Frowning ferociously the little blonde slapped her gloves together.

  “I sound like nothing of the sort!” she spat out. “What are you doing here anyway? Don’t you have an infant at home?”

  “Hey!” Ariel snapped back. “You know full well why I’m here. My new house is being overrun by broody women.”

  For a moment Andie considered ducking under the table. Completely rattled, she started fumbling over her seed trays.

  “I really should finish off this row of punnets,” she muttered haltingly.

  “Hurry up then,” Tessa sniffed. “I need to accompany you to the platform. Lord Laurentius will be turning up today.”

  “Ugh, you might be mistaken? He said he would leave us alone for three days, remember?” Andie advised her meekly.

  “All the same I’ll be coming along,” Tessa muttered.

  “Sure,” Andie murmured in response.

  “You can head off, I’ll finish those up for you,” Ariel offered. “You’ve got far more important things to be doing.” Sitting back she then pressed a hand to her chest and declared, “Only the Dragon’s Eye can soothe the soul of the young Overlord!”

  Andie winced fiercely at Ariel’s proclamation. What on earth had motivated her to say it?

  “I’ll see you in the storeroom then… ‘Dragon’s Eye!’” Tessa blared sarcastically. Striding off she began bullying her way through the foliage.

  Shaking her head, Andie began moving her punnets across the table.

  “Good luck,” Ariel whispered to her.

  “Thanks, I’m gonna need it,” Andie muttered with a weak smile. Nodding briefly she collected her tools before heading off. Walking slowly through the greenery she drew in a few deep breaths. Bracing herself, she then stepped through the storeroom door.

  “How long was Ariel with you!?” Tessa barked at her. “And why were all those people skulking around?

  Andie remained calm as she carefully deposited her tools onto a bench.

  “Ariel joined me shortly after you left. Everyone else wandered in later to talk to me,” she answered smoothly.

  “By the gods!” Tessa fumed. “Have you been telling people about last night? You cannot do that! You have no idea who they are.”

  “What difference does it make? Are some of them spies?” Andie retorted with a frown.

  “Don’t be ridiculous!”

  “What’s wrong then?!” Andie yelled as she smacked a hand onto the benchtop. “I was just telling them about the royal family!”

  “Which is precisely the problem,” Tessa hissed as she strode up in front of her.

  Rolling her eyes, Andie sighed loudly before declaring, “Why are you getting so upset with me? I wasn’t making up any nasty stories. Frankly it was nice to be saying something positive about them.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Most of the tavern gossip is about the royal family. I saw absolutely nothing to justify the trash I’ve heard. All the stuff you’ve been translating for me is bullshit.”

  “Of course!” Tessa snapped back. “None of it is real you know.”

  “What?” Andie muttered as her face went slack.

  Her little friend stepped back and dropped her gaze.

  “Heavens no, we have strict moral codes around here. All of the chatter in the tavern is just people being, well, dramatic? It’s like your television shows, just fanciful fiction. People start talking and then it becomes a challenge to outdo each other.”

  “Oh shit.” Staring, Andie pressed her fingers to her chin. “So none of the gossip about the royal family is true?”

  Tessa’s eyes grew wide as she started wringing her hands.

  “Absolutely not. Their behaviour is always beyond reproach. They set an example for us all to follow.” Shaking her head the little Draconarid looked anxiously at Andie. “I’m so sorry - I should have explained this to you days ago. I can’t believe I didn’t realise how you would take it.”

  Andie was so pleasantly surprised she almost started laughing.

  “It’s fine!” she declared with a relieved chuckle. “I get the irony of what people are doing. I’m really glad it’s just idle gossip.”

  “You must have been terrified when you were escorted into the royal dining room,” Tessa muttered.

  “I sure was!” Andie responded with a smile. “You should’ve seen me when Sanna asked if I was the ‘entertainment’. I nearly peed myself on the spot!”

  Tessa grimaced awkwardly as she dropped her hands.

  “Okay,” she responded quietly. “But you must not say anything more about the royal family. Just mentioning what they were wearing will have people going into a frenzy.”

  “Oh I see. Like the fashion for veils?”

  “Exactly. I’m sorry, I seem to have failed you again,” Tessa muttered forlornly. Shaking her head again she began knitting her brows together. “Honestly, I cannot believe how poorly I am doing with this.”

  “Hey, it’s alright,” Andie said softly. “We’ve had a few of these misunderstandings. In the end we always work it out.”

  Letting out a little huff Tessa murmured, “We do, but I don’t normally lose my temper at you. I don’t know what is getting into me lately.”

  “I think you are just a bit stressed,” Andie reasoned. “Things have been getting pretty crazy around here. I’ve been feeling the pressure too.”

  “Okay then,” Tessa spoke quietly. “If you don’t mention the royal family it will help enormously. Please promise me you won’t speak of them again.”

  “Alright,” Andie conceded. Despite Tessa’s concerns she felt like she had done something useful today. The townspeople were obviously desperate for any news about their rulers. In its absence they were making up all kinds of salacious rumours.

  Overlord Tib
erius did not deserve to have his family slandered like that. He was the kindest, warmest person Andie had ever met.

  ✽✽✽

  With midday approaching it was time for Andie’s daily flight. After they put away their equipment Andie and Tessa headed up to the landing platform.

  It was a very quiet walk. No mention was made of lunch - they both seemed willing to skip it today. They strolled along together not saying a word to each other.

  Andie did not want to bother her little friend. Tessa seemed a bit down after their debacle in the Horticulture Hall.

  Left with no conversation, Andie’s thoughts turned to what Ariel had told her. So these people could not transform if they wanted to have a child. Andie considered what this meant in regards to the baby dragon she found. The subject had slipped her mind with all the dramas of the last few days. To create a scaly infant the mother probably stayed in her dragon form for quite some time. Then there was the matter of actually falling pregnant….

  It sounded like a lot of trouble to go to. As Darius had said, why would anyone bother to do it? Releasing a little sigh Andie decided it was a discussion best left for later.

  Arriving at the landing platform they found it mercifully empty. Andie was correct – it seemed Lord Laurentius was not appearing for her flight today. They entered the cave with some caution, noting Marcellus had not turned up either.

  The only thing they found was a surly red dragon. Andie could literally feel him glowering in the back corner. Curled up in a mass of straw, he barely moved as she approached him.

  “Are you still upset about the saddle?” Andie asked him with a smile. “I’m sure Marcellus has repaired it by now. Shall I go and see?”

  Darius emitted a hard grunt before lifting his head to shake it vigorously. Grumbling briefly he then got up and started ambling towards the workshop. Sure enough, the large saddle was sitting beside it in perfect condition. Sniffing it briefly Darius lifted a huge scaled paw to pick it up from its stand. Slipping a claw underneath it, he balanced it effortlessly right on the tip. With one smooth movement he had spun it around and placed it neatly across the base of his neck.