Rhiannon - Dragonrider

Chapter Eleven - Rhian-Ceridwen's Torque

On my left, a long wooden table ran up towards the dais with a row of high backed chairs and there were all sorts of weapons hanging on the wall behind it. Some of them looked dangerously functional whilst others were so fancy, decorated with jewels and things, that I couldn't imagine them ever being used.

And, throughout the room, at the top of the panels and on the facing edges of the tables and things, that pattern of 'S's was repeated. You could tell it was a family thing.

The hall didn't have a right hand wall. Instead, there was a large courtyard where Rhiannas was standing. He was holding himself particularly erect, his tail was wrapped tightly around his body and his narrow tongue was darting in and out. He looked kind of... nervous.

"It's beautiful!" I whispered without thinking.

"For many human generations, the House of Rhian shone throughout the Edifice as a beacon of elegance and propriety, as well as of power," Rhiannas explained. He remained cold but I could feel an undertone of pride... and maybe there was a bit of regret going on there too.

"Remove Rhian-Ceridwen's torque," he told me.

"Sorry, who's Rhian-Ceridwen?"

I guess I wasn't completely surprised when he pointed out the smallest statue behind the high table... it was obviously a girl.

As I walked up the hall, I saw that the incredible designs weren't just painted onto the wood... they'd been done with exquisite marquetry work.

"These panels are amazing!" I said to myself, sort of forgetting that he could read my mind.

"Only dragons with immaculate self control were permitted to enter the House Hall of Rhian," he said... and, again, there was more of his wistful thing going on.

I walked up to the statue... it was about as tall as me... and carefully took off the golden torque. It was surprisingly light... the design was so fine that it looked as if it had been plaited from strands of gold.

And, as I looked down at the beautiful thing, I saw that, no matter how you turned it, the strands lined up to give the now familiar 'S' motif.

"Now put it on!"

I was startled by his command. I mean... I did as I was told, of course, carefully fastening the torque round my neck... but I just had to say something. "Sir, it is so precious. Aren't you afraid that it's going to get lost or stolen?"

But he didn't answer. I could tell he was busy doing some sort of tricky mental operation.

"Have no fear," he said when he was done. "I have secured the catch. Only individuals of significant power will be able to release it and all such would appreciate that to do so would bring down my unbridled rage and retribution."

I couldn't think of anything to say so I just gave him a bow.

"Stairs lead down from the veranda to the upper ring pathway," he told me. "Follow that widdershins and you will arrive at the Dom terrace whence the portway offers egress from the Edifice. Thence, a track will conduct you to the village.

"Widdershins?"

He put an anti-clockwise picture in my head.

"The wall-ways of the Edifice can confuse the unfamiliar," he warned me. "Note your route with care. Ensure that you return by nightfall. Whilst none of significance will inconvenience you when you are wearing my mark, there are certain rogues and vagabonds to be found beyond the Edifice who could importune you."

As I set off back down the lair, Rihanas reappeared and returned to his dais. There he curled up like an overgrown pussycat and went to sleep.

And it was only when I got to the veranda that I realised just how much that grey blob in my head was messing with my thinking. As I'd been enjoying the flight, I'd managed to forget that Rhiannas had murdered Megan, just yesterday.