Read Online Dragonfly by Julia Golding - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Julia Golding
Tags: General, Juvenile Nonfiction, Action & Adventure, Juvenile Fiction, Fantasy & Magic, Social Issues, Royalty
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supper around the campfire. A giant of a man with a big bushy beard was playing cards with three wiry-looking individuals; acrobats, Tashi guessed. An old woman sat by the pot, her hair in long grey ringlets. She had a scarlet scarf tied around her middle and gold rings in her ears. Her clothes were ancient and patched but she was in possession of a fine pair of new boots. Tashi's boots.
Sensing the Princess's scrutiny, the old woman gave her an implacable stare. She then tapped her pipe
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on the heel of her left boot and chuckled. Tashi dropped her gaze to her own bare feet.
A handsome man with long dark sideburns strode forward. He had a fur cape thrown carelessly over one shoulder, brilliant red tunic, and knee-length brown boots that had seen better days. Tashi glanced resentfully at Prince Ramil's footwear and wondered why he was still in ownership of them when hers had been taken.
"Prince Ramil, it is an honor to welcome you to our fireside," declared the man with a flourishing bow, ignoring Tashi. "I apologize for the abruptness of our invitation but my master said we were to bring you with all speed."
Ramil tapped his hands angrily by his sides. The man had a Brigardian accent and had already revealed that he knew full well who his prisoner was. Any hope that this was a mistake was extinguished.
"You will be hanged for your actions unless you release the Princess and myself immediately," Ramil said curtly.
The man put his hand to his brow. "It pains me to refuse a royal command but I am acting under orders from my superior. For the moment, I suggest you make the best of it and join me by the fire. You must be hungry--thirsty too, I expect. Come. It will be necessary to return you to your less than luxurious quarters in a short while, so make the most of this brief reprieve."
Seeing the sense of this, Ramil turned to allow the Princess to precede him to the fire. In the light, he saw
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for the first time that she had the most striking mane of long fair hair.
"Oh no, not her," the man said, taking a step to separate them. "I do not allow Western demons to sit with my people. She can eat on her own."
"Then I eat with her," announced Ramil, roused to anger on the Princess's behalf.
"No, you dine with me." The man produced a knife and felt its edge, drawing blood on his thumb. "A Gerfalian prince is a worthy companion but a Blue Crescent woman is hardly human. They feel nothing, have you not noticed?"
He waved at Tashi. "See, she says nothing--does nothing. We took her robes and she did not complain. We threw her in with Kosind and she did not scream. It's unnatural. Leave her."
The man hooked the Prince's arm in his and began to drag him away.
"I will stay with the Princess!" Ramil struggled to free himself.
Tashi turned her back on the fire, feeling so weary of these Easterners. She hardly cared for the man's insults. How could such a one understand her?
There was no need for the Prince to risk injury on her behalf. In any case, she preferred to eat alone.
"Go with him, Prince Ramil. I am content."
Tashi sat cross-legged on the ground, too far from the campfire to benefit from its warmth. Looking up at the stars, she realized how late it was and she had not yet said the evening service. The Mother would understand but Tashi knew she should delay no longer.
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Preparing herself, she rose to her knees and began quietly to say the words, miming the action of the ringing bell as none was available. At first, no one noticed her humble ceremony, but then the little man who had fetched them from their prison came over with a bowl of food. He put it down but she continued without a pause, her hands sketching circles in the air before her.
This amused him so he fetched some of his friends from the fireside: the strong man, Gordoc, and the tiger tamer, Pashvin. The tamer prodded Tashi with his whip but she did not break off her prayer.
"See, it's as Orboyd says, less than human." Pashvin chuckled, sitting
Sensing the Princess's scrutiny, the old woman gave her an implacable stare. She then tapped her pipe
68
on the heel of her left boot and chuckled. Tashi dropped her gaze to her own bare feet.
A handsome man with long dark sideburns strode forward. He had a fur cape thrown carelessly over one shoulder, brilliant red tunic, and knee-length brown boots that had seen better days. Tashi glanced resentfully at Prince Ramil's footwear and wondered why he was still in ownership of them when hers had been taken.
"Prince Ramil, it is an honor to welcome you to our fireside," declared the man with a flourishing bow, ignoring Tashi. "I apologize for the abruptness of our invitation but my master said we were to bring you with all speed."
Ramil tapped his hands angrily by his sides. The man had a Brigardian accent and had already revealed that he knew full well who his prisoner was. Any hope that this was a mistake was extinguished.
"You will be hanged for your actions unless you release the Princess and myself immediately," Ramil said curtly.
The man put his hand to his brow. "It pains me to refuse a royal command but I am acting under orders from my superior. For the moment, I suggest you make the best of it and join me by the fire. You must be hungry--thirsty too, I expect. Come. It will be necessary to return you to your less than luxurious quarters in a short while, so make the most of this brief reprieve."
Seeing the sense of this, Ramil turned to allow the Princess to precede him to the fire. In the light, he saw
69
for the first time that she had the most striking mane of long fair hair.
"Oh no, not her," the man said, taking a step to separate them. "I do not allow Western demons to sit with my people. She can eat on her own."
"Then I eat with her," announced Ramil, roused to anger on the Princess's behalf.
"No, you dine with me." The man produced a knife and felt its edge, drawing blood on his thumb. "A Gerfalian prince is a worthy companion but a Blue Crescent woman is hardly human. They feel nothing, have you not noticed?"
He waved at Tashi. "See, she says nothing--does nothing. We took her robes and she did not complain. We threw her in with Kosind and she did not scream. It's unnatural. Leave her."
The man hooked the Prince's arm in his and began to drag him away.
"I will stay with the Princess!" Ramil struggled to free himself.
Tashi turned her back on the fire, feeling so weary of these Easterners. She hardly cared for the man's insults. How could such a one understand her?
There was no need for the Prince to risk injury on her behalf. In any case, she preferred to eat alone.
"Go with him, Prince Ramil. I am content."
Tashi sat cross-legged on the ground, too far from the campfire to benefit from its warmth. Looking up at the stars, she realized how late it was and she had not yet said the evening service. The Mother would understand but Tashi knew she should delay no longer.
70
Preparing herself, she rose to her knees and began quietly to say the words, miming the action of the ringing bell as none was available. At first, no one noticed her humble ceremony, but then the little man who had fetched them from their prison came over with a bowl of food. He put it down but she continued without a pause, her hands sketching circles in the air before her.
This amused him so he fetched some of his friends from the fireside: the strong man, Gordoc, and the tiger tamer, Pashvin. The tamer prodded Tashi with his whip but she did not break off her prayer.
"See, it's as Orboyd says, less than human." Pashvin chuckled, sitting
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