Eigaden Planes
Claire sloshed stew everywhere the moment King Talon's voice bombarded her mind. Reyr had only just returned from his trip west, and the king's contact was not something she was expecting.
"Whoa, Claire! Careful with that." Jovari held out his hands and took his bowl from her, eyes narrowed. She hardly heard him.
"The people cry for justice, Reyr."
Justice. Of course they did. Unease crept into the pit of her stomach.
"We all cry for justice, Your Grace," Reyr said, his tone patient and even. He was always so polite. If it were her, she'd already be yelling.
"Gods above!" Talon gave a mental grumble. "You could have saved us from this added burden."
Reyr hesitated. "Added burden, Your Grace?"
"Yes, added burden. The instant you found that girl standing over Cyrus, you should have slit her throat."
"Your Grace—"
"Saffra tells me she was found covered in his blood. What more proof is needed?"
Her heart lurched.
"Your Grace, with all due respect, there ought to be a fair trial."
She held her breath, waiting.
"Yes, yes. I have agreed to a trial," he said, begrudgingly. "Still, many of the council members have argued against it. They are calling for her immediate death."
Her muscles turned weak. Immediate death? This was not how things were supposed to go. She began taking deep, short breaths.
"It is unanimous then? There has been a vote?"
There was a long pause. "No, not unanimous. We took a vote today. One vote remains in opposition."
"Whose?"
"Lady Saffra maintains her stance."
She stiffened. Lady Saffra? Lady Saffra was all that stood in the way of her execution? Her eyes snapped to Reyr's face. He sat frowning down at his bowl of stew.
"When you say stance..."
"Saffra maintains that Claire is innocent."
She exhaled in relief. A weight lifted from her chest. Someone was on her side.
"Is everything all right, Claire?" Jovari forced her attention away from the private discussion. "You look...bothered. I certainly hope you plan to eat."
She offered him a weak smile and nodded, noticing that he and Koldis had nearly finished their stew. She dished up a bowl for herself and sat back down.
"Your Grace, I believe Saffra has good reason to claim Claire's innocence. I too must side with her," said Reyr.
Warmth seeped into her chest at Reyr's response. He believed her. After all this time, she had finally won him over.
"You are being careless, Reyr," said the king. "I know you. You have always been quick to forgive and forget. You have spent too much time traveling with this girl. Perhaps you have forgotten that she is an outsider."
Her smile faded. What was this king's problem? Why was he so quick to accuse her? He didn't even know her. If Reyr believed her, why couldn't he?
"Perhaps you are correct, Your Grace," said Reyr. "Yet, Claire has shown no signs of dan—"
"You do not know what she is capable of! Have you considered that she claims an Unbreakable Promise simply as a foolproof way of manipulating you?"
There was another long pause. "I considered it, Your Grace, and I believe it unlikely."
"Cyrus would never do such a thing, Reyr. I demand that you withdraw your trust from her. Until there has been a full trial, she is guilty."
Her stomach sank.
"As you wish, Your Grace."
She could hardly fault Reyr for agreeing. He was too honorable.
Pretending she heard nothing, she turned her attention to her stew. If Reyr discovered her ability, it would only make matters worse. He would be furious if he found out she had secretly listened to everything. Right now, she needed all the trust she could get.
Try as she might, she couldn't stomach her dinner. She pushed the chunks of meat around in her bowl. When the others began chatting about Reyr's trip, she poured the contents back into the pot hoping they might not notice.
Her companions talked long into the night about Reyr's twin brother and preparations to come. Under different circumstances, she would have been interested in the discussion. She was eager to learn everything she could about Dragonwall. But in her current mood, and as exhausted as she was, she curled into a ball and tried her hardest not to cry.
***
The next morning they departed early, flying south. She noticed no difference in Reyr's behavior towards her, though she expected him to turn cold after the king's command. It was an uneventful day. She thought perhaps the king would contact them again. Truthfully, she dreaded it. But he did not, nor did he reach out to any of them the following day.
As the days passed, her mind often drifted to the king. Each time that happened, her skin flushed with anger.
He considered her guilty without any evidence. How could he be so stubborn? So obtuse? His narrow-mindedness infuriated her.
The night before they were set to arrive, her nerves took a turn for the worse. All sorts of scenarios flashed through her mind. If everyone on the council wanted her dead, then she would not be safe in the capital when she arrived. If the king planned to try her as a criminal, how would she relay Cyrus's message? How would she fulfill her promise? Would she ever get the chance to speak to him alone?
She tossed and turned all night, getting no sleep whatsoever. Long before the sun had risen, she got up to find Reyr. It was his turn to keep watch over their little camp.
He saw her coming and patted the ground beside him, inviting her to sit. It was rare that she ever got time alone with him. They were silent for a while before she worked up the nerve to say anything. "We never got a chance to talk about what happened with the Marble Dragon."
"Ah yes," he said, glancing at her. "Truthfully, I forgot all about it. Why don't you explain what happened."
She did, relaying every detail. Although, she held back her suspicions because she worried that the experience had something to do with her ability to hear the Drengr.
"It is strange, to be certain. I have never heard of such a thing," he said at last.
"So...you believe me then?"
"Aye, I do not think you would make this story up. It is too far-fetched. Besides, some of the things you mention are written in history."
She relaxed her shoulders. Perhaps she wasn't crazy after all. With all that had happened, she was starting to believe it.
"When you say written in history...?"
"Well, for instance, the woman you described seeing in your mind is very likely Queen Isabella."
"She's a Sprite queen?"
At the time of the incident, she'd known little about the Sprites. But she remembered seeing the woman's appearance and the markings upon her skin.
"At the time, yes. In fact, Queen Isabella was Queen Jade's aunt."
She sucked in a breath. "But, why was she inside of the Marble Dragon's memories?"
"Some legends claim that it was Isabella who turned the infamous dragon to stone."
"Didn't all the dragons come from stone?"
Reyr chuckled. "Did Cyrus tell you that?" She hesitated, then nodded. He smiled. "You know, when this is all over, I would like to hear all that he told you."
"When this is all over, I would be happy to grant your request." They fell silent for several beats. "So, tell me about the dragons, if they were created from stone, who made them?"
"Hmm...that's a bit of a story. Though, I suppose we have time." The sun wasn't due to rise yet. "Make yourself comfortable."
She was as comfortable as she was going to get.
"It is said that the world did not always have dragons. Ages ago they were created—carved from stone by powerful sorcerers known as the Asarlaí."
She knew about the Asarlai from Cyrus—Kane was one of them. They were dangerous and too powerful for their own good.
"Dissatisfied with their already impressive powers, a group of Asarlaí known as the Five, sought to rule the world. It was they who worked tirelessly, chiseling from colorful rock the beastly forms that would later be called dragons. Before breathing magic into the enchanted stone, none of the Five knew what to expect, so as a fail-safe, they each removed a small palm-sized chunk from the lifeless bodies." A thrill shot through her. She knew exactly where this tale was going.
"These stones were polished and rounded, later becoming known as the Dragon Stones. The Dragon Stones offered a way of rendering inert the giant dragons should they become too powerful. The Asarlaí could not stand the idea of losing control; after all, the world was theirs to rule.
"The dragons cooperated with the Five for a time, using telepathic powers bestowed upon them to communicate amongst themselves and with their makers. Together they claimed the territory and named it Dragonwall, in honor of the mighty beasts who conquered it. Thus dawned the Second Age."
She almost shivered with excitement.
"The dragons were too much like their masters—greedy, power hungry, and proud. They truly believed that they were never meant to be controlled, so they plotted in secret against the Five, stealing the Stones and killing their creators."
At this, she hummed with interest. Even from the start, the Stones had a terrible past—a past built on deceit and treachery.
Reyr stared out over the landscape, now smudged with a faint hint of pink and orange. "After killing their masters, the five dragons did not stop there. They swept through Dragonwall in search of any remaining Asarlaí, sending the last of the great beings into hiding. Some say they traveled to distant lands, sailing across the sea. To Oshea, perhaps."
"So...they all left? The Asarlaí?"
"Aye. We have not seen or heard from them since."
Inside, she was screaming. She wanted so badly to tell him about Kane. Even though she knew it was impossible, she opened her mouth and tried. The words were formed and everything, but just like before, no sound came out.
"Are you all right?" he asked, eying her. To him, she must have looked like a fish out of water, or a croaking frog who'd lost its voice.
Clearing her throat and coughing a couple of times, she nodded. "Sorry. Just a tickle."
"Very well. Shall I continue?"
"Please."
"When the dragons were happy with their work they settled down, proliferating throughout Dragonwall. Thirteen clans were formed. These clans divided up Dragonwall into territories over which they presided. For the most part, they left Dragonwall's inhabitants alone to work the land as they saw fit. Great houses were established with long ranging dynasties. Humanity thrived. Aside from the occasional Gobelin raid, humans and beings of magic worked and lived in harmony. Over time, the Dragon Stones were lost and even forgotten."
"Oh..." It was the only thing she could think to say. Suddenly nervous, she rubbed her chest and felt the bulge hidden in her bra.
All she needed was for Reyr to discover the little leather pouch hiding there. If that happened, her entire mission would be over.
"So..." She cleared her throat. "What happened to the thirteen clans?"
"Rage. Rage happened."
"Who's Rage?"
"He was the leader of the Ice Clan. The leader of that general you saw, the Marble Dragon, if history is written correctly."
"Wow."
"The words I remember go something like this," he said, hesitating.
Thirteen clans there were—
Thirteen clans when Rage did rise—
Thirteen clans to conquer.
And so he fought with tooth and claw,
Then pronounced himself their ruler.
She chewed on her lower lip. "Rage tried to conquer the clans and take control of the dragons?"
"Very good. Yes."
"That's...greedy."
"The dragons were always greedy. Rage went to each of the clans petitioning his cause. The Fire Clan was first to swear allegiance to him, followed shortly thereafter by the Storm Clan and the Desert Clan. Soon, even the Cave Clan came out of hiding to profess their loyalty. However, there were many who did not. One clan in particular, the Iron Clan, rallied the remaining clans to fight against Rage, but it was not enough. Rage's evil acts washed across the land instilling fear into the inhabitants of Dragonwall, giving all the dragons a bad name, even those who wished to continue living in peace.
"As a result, they were hunted. Quite brutally slaughtered—the good ones and the bad. After all, how could the poor humans distinguish between an evil dragon like those of the Ice Clan, and a good dragon, like those of the Iron Clan, who simply wanted peace and to be left alone."
"I thought all dragons were bad," she said, frowning. Reyr shook his head, a strange expression crossing his face. "No. Not all were bad."
He hesitated. A golden light peeped up along the eastern horizon.
"It was a brutal time," Reyr said. "Very bad for dragon kind. Then came a young dragon from the Iron Clan by the name of Vigilance. Seeking to unite the population of Dragonwall against this evildoer, he wanted the humans and magical peoples to band together and fight alongside the rallying clans, but Vigilance had a dilemma."
"I can already guess," she said.
"Can you?" He grinned.
"Vigilance didn't have a way of communicating with people, did he? Since he was a dragon, and dragons can't actually talk, how could he tell them he was good?"
"That's correct. Dragons cannot talk out loud, and humans cannot hear their telepathic voices."
"None of them?" she hedged. Her heart began to race. She hadn't anticipated this lead-in. But it was the perfect opportunity to learn more.
"No. Humans do not possess the ability for telepathy. Some Sprites do, but humans have never been able to communicate with us."
"What about your mates?"
"Ah. That is different. When a Drengr develops a bond with a mate, the telepathic ability is established to allow for telepathic communication."
"I...see." Another question popped into her mind. "How is a bond developed?"
"You have many questions, Claire." He laughed in good humor, flashing her a charming and utterly disarming smile. "Already we have digressed."
"Sorry," she mumbled.
"Shall I continue?" he asked. She nodded. "Good. Where was I?" He paused for a moment. "Ah, yes. Vigilance needed a way to bridge the communication gap between dragon and humankind. He needed a way to explain that not all dragons were evil. He went in search of a solution, one that would change Dragonwall forever."
"He became a Drengr," she whispered, guessing the end of the story.
Reyr nodded. "In the Gable Forest, Vigilance came across a powerful Sprite named Queen Isabella."
Her eyes widened. "The same queen I saw? She created the Drengr?"
"Aye. Queen Isabella was so beautiful and so enchanting, that at the first sight of her, Vigilance bowed his great spiked head and surrendered himself to her, pleading with her to help him defeat Rage."
Goosebumps prickled up on her skin. The story was wrapping itself around her, and she could imagine it very clearly, Vigilance in the Gable Forest bowing before the beautiful Sprite queen.
"Fortunately, Queen Isabella heard the pleas of Vigilance. She was one of the rare few blessed with telepathic abilities to hear all of dragonkind. She took pity upon him, offering a trade. This trade would ensure his success, but granting his wish would come at a cost. It would change him, and that change would be irreversible. Vigilance willingly agreed, desperate to do anything and everything to save Dragonwall. And so she blessed him with humanity, bestowing upon him the ability to shift into human form.
"In so doing, the Sprite queen gave him a way of appealing to the people so that he might rally Dragonwall's inhabitants to his side. Several of his comrades followed suit, taking on Queen Isabella's blessing and becoming Drengr, which means dragon warrior in the old language."
She closed her mouth. This was more than she'd bargained for. Reyr grinned, clearly pleased that he could offer up such entertainment.
"Vigilance and his newly formed force of Drengr rallied the humans to their side, and they did not stop there. Sprites and Dwargs joined their cause.
"Never had Dragonwall witnessed such a uniting of peoples. Together, they battled the clans that supported Rage, driving them from the lands until all that remained was the Ice Clan, but they too eventually fell in some of the greatest battles Dragonwall has ever witnessed. When Vigilance defeated Rage in a show of aerial combat, the world rejoiced. Since then, our inhabitants have flourished under the rule of the Drengr Monarchy."
"So...where does the Marble Dragon come in?"
He chuckled. "I believe the Ice Clan sold him out."
"They betrayed him?"
"I think so. Perhaps it was done to save their own hides. Isabella found him and battled him, at last turning him into stone. I suppose she intended to punish him for all eternity, forcing him to dwell forever upon the land as a monument."
"That's..."
"An impressive story. I know. We take great pride in our history."
She nodded. "Thank you—for telling me."
Now was perhaps the only time she would have with Reyr before their journey's end. It had to be a good sign that he was willing to open up about his ancestors.
"I am always glad to share history with those who are willing to listen," he replied.
"I admit, I find your world fascinating. We don't have magic where I come from. There are no Gobelins or Dwargs, and especially no Sprites, or Drengr or unicorns or dragons."
"That seems rather boring to me."
She laughed, feeling immediately lighter. "Well, yes. I suppose it is."
She didn't bother telling him all the things that they did have—things that Cyrus was amazed by. It would be too difficult to explain technology.
"Reyr?"
"Hmm?"
"What's going to happen to me when we arrive?" She swallowed her fear. "I know...I know I broke the law. According to Dragonwall law, my people are forbidden from entering into your kingdom. And then there's the whole Cyrus thing. Everyone thinks I killed him."
Reyr stiffened. "How do you know the law about the Gate? Did Cyrus tell you?"
"Yes," she whispered. "He said the crime was punishable by death."
"He was correct."
"Are they going to—are they going to kill me? Is the king going to kill me?"
For a moment, Reyr did not answer. When she looked over at him, he was gazing east, watching the sun peep up from the horizon. "The king is suffering from a great deal of grief."
"So are you!" she cried. "But at least you're being reasonable."
"Aye. I try to be. The king..."
"The king, what?"
"He has been through far more in his lifetime than many have had to suffer. He will come around."
She chewed her tongue to keep from speaking. Life experiences were no excuse. "Don't let him kill me, okay? I need to speak with him about Cyrus. About Dragonwall. About..."
"Aye. You mentioned that when we found you."
"Well, I wasn't lying. Cyrus told me everything."
"I see, and did he tell you about the Dragon Stones?"
She choked and began coughing.
"I shall take that as a yes."
Their gazes met. With only her eyes, she begged him to see into her soul. If only he could read her innocence.
"Look, Claire, I cannot make any promises. You made your choice. You chose your path. I will speak to the king when and if he will hear me. I will do my best to facilitate a meeting between the two of you."
"Thank you," she whispered. It was the best she could hope for.
The sun came free of the horizon, warming everything it touched.
"Come, let's get some breakfast and depart."
She nodded, following him back to their camp.
Departing was the last thing she wanted, knowing what she would soon face. What she failed to tell Reyr was how terrified she was of all that was to come. Not knowing her fate was a scary thing.
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