Read Online Dragonvein Book Four by Brian D. Anderson - Free Book Online
Authors: Brian D. Anderson
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especially don’t want you worrying about me. When my time comes, I will be just fine.”
He looked at his father skeptically. “How do you know that?”
Smiling, Ralmar stood and took hold of the youngster's hand. “You’ll see soon enough.”
The reassuring smile did much to make Martok feel better. Many times he had overheard his uncle and his father arguing about what was appropriate magic for a boy of his age to be learning. His father had warned Sylas repeatedly that it was not his decision. The last time they spoke of this it had nearly come to blows. Martok knew it had something to do with his mother and the way she had died. But not even his uncle would tell him anything about it. All the same, it made him think very hard about if there was a special way to make the people you love live forever. Was that the secret magic his father didn’t want him to learn?
It would take three days for them to walk all the way along the narrow trail that passed through a tangle of dense foliage. The jungle would have reclaimed the path long ago, his father explained, had it not been kept clear by the magic of the dragons. Their connection to Lumnia gave them unique powers. Even more excitingly, he then went on to tell a little of the special bond that the Dragonvein family shared with these wonderful creatures.
After choosing a place to camp on the second night, Ralmar lit a fire and set his wards to keep away unwanted animals and other pests. This done, he retrieved a silver flute from his pack and began playing a tune that Martok remembered his mother always saying was her absolute favorite. Often she would sing along with his playing, though the words would change with each performance. Sometimes they would be about heroes and quests. Other times the story of young love. She had been a remarkable woman. And one of the best healers in all of Lumnia. Even his uncle had said so.
A thousand people had shown up to her funeral, though Ralmar could not bring himself to attend – a fact that was widely frowned upon by many of the noble houses. They did not hold back on expressing their opinions on the matter either. It had enraged Martok to no end when they called his father weak and pathetic. Not a true nobleman. He knew better than anyone how deeply his parents had loved each other, and how great his father's sense of loss was when she passed away. It was as if a part of him had died too. That was the reason why, for a time, he hadn't been able to carry on as normal. None of those other cruel hearted mages would ever have been capable of understanding such love and devotion.
“It is not weakness,” his uncle had told him. “To love so deeply is beyond most men. And to find someone who you can truly love with all of your being is a rare gift. They are just envious toads. Don’t pay them any mind.”
When his father finished playing, he laid the flute gently in his lap. There was a faraway look in his eyes.
“What is so special about where we’re going?” Martok asked. “Uncle Sylas said you think it's the most special place in the world. But he wouldn’t tell me why.”
His father waved him over to sit beside him. “As I explained earlier, son, our family is unique. We were the very first to know the dragons. And of all the great mage families, only ours has the privilege of sharing a bond with them. It is a gift from our ancient past. Given to us by the greatest of all our ancestors.”
“Who was he?” Martok asked, wide-eyed.
“Actually, it's a she. And where I'm taking you is the only place in Lumnia where you can meet her.”
Martok's eyes grew even wider. “How can I meet her if she's dead?”
He stroked his son’s hair. “Remember how I told you that once I'm gone, I would be well taken care of. Well, tomorrow you will understand why.”
“Will there be dragons there too?”
Ralmar laughed. “Perhaps. But I don’t think you’ll care too much about that once you meet her.”
It was late
He looked at his father skeptically. “How do you know that?”
Smiling, Ralmar stood and took hold of the youngster's hand. “You’ll see soon enough.”
The reassuring smile did much to make Martok feel better. Many times he had overheard his uncle and his father arguing about what was appropriate magic for a boy of his age to be learning. His father had warned Sylas repeatedly that it was not his decision. The last time they spoke of this it had nearly come to blows. Martok knew it had something to do with his mother and the way she had died. But not even his uncle would tell him anything about it. All the same, it made him think very hard about if there was a special way to make the people you love live forever. Was that the secret magic his father didn’t want him to learn?
It would take three days for them to walk all the way along the narrow trail that passed through a tangle of dense foliage. The jungle would have reclaimed the path long ago, his father explained, had it not been kept clear by the magic of the dragons. Their connection to Lumnia gave them unique powers. Even more excitingly, he then went on to tell a little of the special bond that the Dragonvein family shared with these wonderful creatures.
After choosing a place to camp on the second night, Ralmar lit a fire and set his wards to keep away unwanted animals and other pests. This done, he retrieved a silver flute from his pack and began playing a tune that Martok remembered his mother always saying was her absolute favorite. Often she would sing along with his playing, though the words would change with each performance. Sometimes they would be about heroes and quests. Other times the story of young love. She had been a remarkable woman. And one of the best healers in all of Lumnia. Even his uncle had said so.
A thousand people had shown up to her funeral, though Ralmar could not bring himself to attend – a fact that was widely frowned upon by many of the noble houses. They did not hold back on expressing their opinions on the matter either. It had enraged Martok to no end when they called his father weak and pathetic. Not a true nobleman. He knew better than anyone how deeply his parents had loved each other, and how great his father's sense of loss was when she passed away. It was as if a part of him had died too. That was the reason why, for a time, he hadn't been able to carry on as normal. None of those other cruel hearted mages would ever have been capable of understanding such love and devotion.
“It is not weakness,” his uncle had told him. “To love so deeply is beyond most men. And to find someone who you can truly love with all of your being is a rare gift. They are just envious toads. Don’t pay them any mind.”
When his father finished playing, he laid the flute gently in his lap. There was a faraway look in his eyes.
“What is so special about where we’re going?” Martok asked. “Uncle Sylas said you think it's the most special place in the world. But he wouldn’t tell me why.”
His father waved him over to sit beside him. “As I explained earlier, son, our family is unique. We were the very first to know the dragons. And of all the great mage families, only ours has the privilege of sharing a bond with them. It is a gift from our ancient past. Given to us by the greatest of all our ancestors.”
“Who was he?” Martok asked, wide-eyed.
“Actually, it's a she. And where I'm taking you is the only place in Lumnia where you can meet her.”
Martok's eyes grew even wider. “How can I meet her if she's dead?”
He stroked his son’s hair. “Remember how I told you that once I'm gone, I would be well taken care of. Well, tomorrow you will understand why.”
“Will there be dragons there too?”
Ralmar laughed. “Perhaps. But I don’t think you’ll care too much about that once you meet her.”
It was late
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