The Dragon's Apprentice

by Linda McNabb

  **

  “How is the dragon?” Prince Blaise asked the next morning at breakfast, as he had for the last two days.

  “No better, Your Highness,” Toby replied and only just managed to keep his voice clear of emotion.

  “Bring that horse man up here again,” Prince Blaise ordered and thumped the table. “Doesn’t anyone realise how important that animal is?”

  All the royals were eating in their private dining hall and room had been made to include Sanelle at the table. She looked different in the fancy clothes the queen had insisted on giving her, almost royal, and certainly nothing like the girl he first met.

  “I could look at him for you,” Sanelle offered sweetly and Toby looked up from the floor just enough to see Prince Blaise's face go white and the muscle in his cheek begin to twitch.

  “It’s a dangerous animal. Keep away from it,” he managed to choke out. Obviously the thought of his sister near the dragon made him nervous. Did he think she would steal Klel?

  Queen Lisan looked delighted at the effect Sanelle was having on the new prince but Prince Rory barely looked up from his food. He seemed content to let things carry on without him having to get involved. As they finished eating Toby worked his way around to Sanelle.

  “I need to talk to you,” Toby whispered just as Prince Blaise came up behind them both.

  Prince Blaise grabbed hold of Sanelle’s arm and almost dragged her over to the window. He had a pleasant smile on his face but it did not reach his eyes and the muscle in his cheek was still twitching.

  “Take care, little sister,” he said putting his other hand up to his neck and drawing out a stone hanging on a strip of leather. It was no more than two inches long and half as wide and he waved it tauntingly at Sanelle. “Just remember what this is and who is inside it. If I crush it under my boot you’ll never save her.”

  “You wouldn’t!” Sanelle exclaimed and she glared at her brother in horror.

  “Or I could arrange to have you join our dear mother?” Prince Blaise suggested with a raised eyebrow and an evil smile that barely lifted the corners of his mouth. “She’s been in there for one full moon already, just another week or two and she’ll be stuck there forever. I’m sure she’d like the company.”

  Sanelle didn’t answer him. She just stared at him as he let go of her arm and sauntered out of the room as if they had been discussing the weather.

  “What did he mean when he said she would be stuck in the stone?” Toby asked.

  “If she stays in there for more than two full moons nobody can release her,” Sanelle said sadly.

  “I’ll try to get it tonight when he’s sleeping,” Toby promised as he knew the full moon was less than two weeks away.

  “Thanks Toby.” She fixed a smile on her face as the queen returned to the doorway to see what was holding her up. “Come see me later.”

  An hour later Toby was worrying about Klel, and trying to think of an excuse to go to see Sanelle, when the trumpet of the wall guard rang out and shattered his thoughts.

  The trumpeter played a single note in a variation of long and short blasts. It was supposed to be a secret code, but Toby hadn’t lived his whole life at the castle without learning what they meant.

  He remained still, listening, while Prince Blaise rushed to the window and looked out to see what was happening.

  “Go and find out what’s going on!” Prince Blaise snapped at Max who ducked out of the room without hesitation. “Is the dragon missing?”

  So he really was worried that Sanelle would steal Klel.

  “The king is returning,” Toby said as it finished and then realised that hadn’t been such a good idea. The prince turned on him with a suspicious look.

  “You eavesdrop on official messages?” His face had darkened and Toby took a step back.

  “I…” Toby grasped for a way out and almost sighed with relief when Prince Blaise stepped away from the window allowing a clear view of the Great North Road. “I see them on the road, Your Highness.”

  Prince Blaise turned back to the window and squinted at the small figures on horseback. He seemed satisfied by Toby’s explanation. “You have good eyesight, lad.”

  Toby followed Prince Blaise down to the main reception hall and Max joined them, out of breath from running all the way to the captain of the guard and back.

  The queen and Prince Rory arrived a few minutes later and they all waited in silence for the arrival of the king. The queen looked ready to do battle with her husband over his new son but Prince Rory simply looked blankly at the wall at the far end of the hall.

  They did not have to wait long and the king strode in through the huge, ceiling high, double doors with a grin from ear to ear. Behind him came three men, dressed as elegantly as King Herat himself.

  “You are back early, Herat.” Queen Lisan inclined her head politely as she spoke. The firm set of her mouth had gone and she smiled warmly at the kings. “I did not know you were bringing guests.”

  “I convinced the other kings to move our meeting here.” King Herat looked immensely pleased with himself and he turned slightly to include Prince Blaise in his smile. “I wanted them to meet Blaise.”

  “There is plenty of time for that later, dear.” Queen Lisan cut in before he could make any formal introductions. “Our guests have travelled a long way and must be tired.”

  “Of course.” King Herat turned to address the three kings. “Please allow my servants to show you to the guest suites. We will have a banquet tonight, in my son’s honour.”

  The kings left the hall with a short bow to the queen. King Herat remained in the reception hall and walked over to embrace Prince Blaise, ignoring his younger son completely.

  “The dragon is ill!” Prince Blaise waited only until the visiting kings had left the room before pouncing with an accusing tone.

  “Ill?” King Herat looked taken back by his son’s manner. It clearly wasn’t the greeting he expected.

  “You took too many scales and made it sick.” Prince Blaise snapped and Toby wondered how the king was going to react. Nobody ever spoke to King Herat like that and got away with it.

  “We’ll discuss this later,” King Herat replied firmly and narrowed his eyes as he glared at Prince Blaise. “This is neither the time nor the place.”

  Queen Lisan looked from her husband to her stepson and a smile played on her lips. It looked as if she wouldn’t have to do much to convince her husband that Prince Blaise was a troublemaker.

  Prince Blaise almost stamped his way out of the reception hall and Toby knew it was a good time to make himself scarce.

  “Your Highness, should I fetch the Master Groomer now?” Toby asked boldly and his master just flicked his hand in a dismissing gesture, obviously too angry to speak. Toby dashed off, glad to be out of the range of his fists.

  He ran through the courtyard, near Klel’s shelter, on his way to the front gate. The guards allowed him to use it freely now he was the prince’s page and he made full use of the time it saved.

  Toby!

  A voice drifted softly across the courtyard and Toby stopped. Who had called him?

  Toby!

  It took several seconds before he realised it was Klel calling him. Klel had never spoken loud enough to be heard this far away. Toby rushed over to Klel’s shelter and almost tripped on a loose stone as he hurried inside.

  “Klel, what’s wrong?” He looked frantically at Klel for a second before it struck him. Klel wasn’t lying despondently in the corner as he had been last night. He was up on his feet and his eyes were glowing. He looked bigger, taller than usual, even though his eyes were still only level with Toby’s. He had regained some of his pale golden colour but there were still patches of dull brown under his eyes and on his tail.

  Gems. Feel gems. Must have gems.

  Gems? Only last night Klel had said there were none around.

  “Where?” Toby asked the excited dragon.

  Nearby. Come close
r, closer. Klel looked as happy as a toddler smelling a freshly baked cookie.

  “The visitors!” Toby exclaimed. “One of them must have brought gems with them.”

  Fetch them. Klel made it sound so easy.

  Toby was about to explain that he couldn’t just go up and ask who had the gems but Klel’s expression stopped him. He didn’t look angry or even demanding, he looked desperate.