COBALT: The Sovereign's Stratagem (Book Two)

Chapter 10: Promise of the End (Part 1/3)

          Vera stopped, looking up at Sinnalyn's caring gaze. "The king?"

           Crunching footsteps met their ears, so far away the forest concealed it to the children. Sinnalyn however caught the tell, nuzzling Vera's head one last time as she backed away. "You must hide little one, I cannot stay with you." She arched her massive wings, taking to the sky and leaving a blemish of splintered trees in the forest. The boy grabbed Vera as the steps reached their ears, leading her into a bush and casting a small spell that surrounded them in a bubble that twinkled like morning frost.

          The crunching grew louder, now accompanied by the jubilant yelling of the armoured soldiers they belonged to. Three stumbled into the clearing with heavy undeliberate steps. "This place smells like crap... Where'd it go?!" one yelled, dropping his shield lazily.

          "Damn thing was massive, must've chewed through th' ropes in time."

          The first soldier burst into laughter. "Said you'd catch'im or you'd owe me a drink, guess ya lost!"

          "I hit it, wassa perfect catch," the second soldier replied. "Said nothin' bout it escapin' after gettin' caught!"

          "It didn't escape on its own," the third soldier cut in, his voice nowhere near as drunken or jubilant as the others. "These ropes have been cut. Someone freed it."

          Vera saw the boy tense at the words, his hand hovering over the one blade he had as he glared at the clearing.

          "Freed it? What bloody idiots goin around freein bloodthirshty dragons? We should shoot em!"

          "Must've been Garaean scouts, dragon loving trash," the third soldier spat. "I guess we didn't catch them all. We'll have to report it, one dragon freed is another ten innocents dead."

          "To hell with reportin! We say there's more Garaeans we get put on huntin em down! An when we come up with nothin we get punished!"

          "Yeah. Generals really need a brain, can't get over the fact that there ain't as many infiltrators as they think."

          The serious guard sighed. "The King gives the orders, perhaps we should look a little higher than his generals on who to blame for all this. Wouldn't have had these dragons on our arses if he hadn't shot down that dragon lord's little runt for escaping the dungeons."

          "Did he really do that? Thought it was another guard." the first soldier replied, taking a swig of a bottle around his belt.

          "Yeah it was a guard," the second added. "I remember, he jus put the dragon in the dungeons, didn't shoot it. Probly woulda shot its wing off and put it back in the dungeons if he had been on the crossbow."

           "Shot its wing off?!" the first guard exclaimed, going red with laughter. "Sounds like a game! Wanna try it?!"

          "Sure as hell works better than these damn nets!"

          The sober guard let out a drawn sigh, dropping the cut rope and kicking some leaves over it. "We should have taken their plea for neutrality."

          "Hah! Look at ya! If I wasn't in a good mood I'd catch ya for treason!" he laughed, taking another swig of his bottle. "Shootin dragons is fun! Easier than cuttin down Garaeans!"

          "Unless they're in those camps," the second guard chimed. "Magic ain't a problem with four walls of dalem stone."

          "Yeah, but I don't got the stomach for some of that work, soldiers are one thing..."