miracle.’
‘Well, be
good, and play nice’ said Janice with a wink.
‘And if you
can’t be good, be careful. You tell those boys to keep their swords in their
sheaths or they’ll have me to deal with,’ added Maggie.
Seven
‘Crimson
wings cast black shadows across the palace courtyard. The massive scaled beast
circles threateningly above, waiting for instruction. The beat of his wings
crash thunder for miles in every direction.
The
assembled royal entourage, palace guard and advisors have gathered on the steps
to see this mage and hear his threats.
“Well met
King Dryonas, it has been a long time, has it not?”
“Not nearly
long enough Varin. I thought you dead, nay, hoped you dead spell-weaver.” The
King stands in the middle of the congregation looking down upon the courtyard
and the white bearded, black robed sorcerer. The old man stands alone and
unarmed but for a long staff of wood which gradually turns to metal at the end
where silver talons grasp a large red pulsing gem, faintly illuminating his
face that otherwise is hidden in shadow beneath a hood. “What business have you
here Varin? Why have you dragged your sorry soul from beneath whichever rock
you’ve been hiding under all these years? And what is the purpose of bringing
this, this lizard to my keep?” King Dryonas opens his hand to the sky where the
enormous red instrument of destruction circles, lower now than before.
“Reprisal,
Dryonas. You will forgive me if I drop the titles and associated ceremony won’t
you. After all you were lowly Dryonas, barbarian of the Northlands when once we
rode together.”
“A long
time ago necromancer. And what happened was not my fault.”
“Fault?
Yes, fault. Blame, cause and causality. The hand that swings the axe is as
culpable as the hand which does nothing to prevent it.”
“I could do
nothing Varin. We were ambushed. I myself lost many a man in the attack.”
“And yet
here you are Dryonas, perched on high, decorated in trinkets and celebrated as
a hero king. Tell me, what heroic feat did you perform when my Lenora fell?
What kingly action did you perform as they ravished and butchered her? I
trusted her to you barbarian. I thought of you as a son then, and when I
returned I found you were no son at all, and no daughter did I have either
thanks to your cowardice and incompetence.”
“I did all
I could Varin. I loved her and would have given my life for hers, gladly.” The
dust of the courtyard starts to stir and daylight is all but lost as the giant
sails of the red dragon’s wings fill the sky as it circles ever lower.
“Your life
for hers? That at least would seem something like justice, don’t think I never
considered that Dryonas. Considered and rejected your highness, you see that
would be too… easy Dryonas. I have had time to consider what should be done.
What must be done. The Gods must be appeased after all. When an
injustice of this magnitude goes unpunished the pillars of the earth begin to
crack. Your head on a pole, while bringing joy to my heart, would be somewhat
insufficient. No I fear we must find a more fitting atonement for you Dryonas.
“Then what?
Gold, jewels. You may take what you need from my armoury or my coffers mage. It
is yours in memory of the girl we both once loved.”
“Pah, you
insult me, you think I came here for riches? For paltry trinkets and coin? You
know me not Dryonas. A life for a life oh King on high, I am here for your
daughter, your stepdaughter to be exact. Not quite the same as true kin but as
it’s all you have.”
“My Malene?
You have taken leave of your senses old man, what in the black abyss makes you
think I would hand over my daughter to you? In fact give me one good reason I
shouldn’t have you run through where you stand.”
“One
reason? Yes, one.” The old mage raises his staff, the gem glowing bright now.
He slams the foot of the staff into the ground. The massive red beasts roars
and a cloud of
‘Well, be
good, and play nice’ said Janice with a wink.
‘And if you
can’t be good, be careful. You tell those boys to keep their swords in their
sheaths or they’ll have me to deal with,’ added Maggie.
Seven
‘Crimson
wings cast black shadows across the palace courtyard. The massive scaled beast
circles threateningly above, waiting for instruction. The beat of his wings
crash thunder for miles in every direction.
The
assembled royal entourage, palace guard and advisors have gathered on the steps
to see this mage and hear his threats.
“Well met
King Dryonas, it has been a long time, has it not?”
“Not nearly
long enough Varin. I thought you dead, nay, hoped you dead spell-weaver.” The
King stands in the middle of the congregation looking down upon the courtyard
and the white bearded, black robed sorcerer. The old man stands alone and
unarmed but for a long staff of wood which gradually turns to metal at the end
where silver talons grasp a large red pulsing gem, faintly illuminating his
face that otherwise is hidden in shadow beneath a hood. “What business have you
here Varin? Why have you dragged your sorry soul from beneath whichever rock
you’ve been hiding under all these years? And what is the purpose of bringing
this, this lizard to my keep?” King Dryonas opens his hand to the sky where the
enormous red instrument of destruction circles, lower now than before.
“Reprisal,
Dryonas. You will forgive me if I drop the titles and associated ceremony won’t
you. After all you were lowly Dryonas, barbarian of the Northlands when once we
rode together.”
“A long
time ago necromancer. And what happened was not my fault.”
“Fault?
Yes, fault. Blame, cause and causality. The hand that swings the axe is as
culpable as the hand which does nothing to prevent it.”
“I could do
nothing Varin. We were ambushed. I myself lost many a man in the attack.”
“And yet
here you are Dryonas, perched on high, decorated in trinkets and celebrated as
a hero king. Tell me, what heroic feat did you perform when my Lenora fell?
What kingly action did you perform as they ravished and butchered her? I
trusted her to you barbarian. I thought of you as a son then, and when I
returned I found you were no son at all, and no daughter did I have either
thanks to your cowardice and incompetence.”
“I did all
I could Varin. I loved her and would have given my life for hers, gladly.” The
dust of the courtyard starts to stir and daylight is all but lost as the giant
sails of the red dragon’s wings fill the sky as it circles ever lower.
“Your life
for hers? That at least would seem something like justice, don’t think I never
considered that Dryonas. Considered and rejected your highness, you see that
would be too… easy Dryonas. I have had time to consider what should be done.
What must be done. The Gods must be appeased after all. When an
injustice of this magnitude goes unpunished the pillars of the earth begin to
crack. Your head on a pole, while bringing joy to my heart, would be somewhat
insufficient. No I fear we must find a more fitting atonement for you Dryonas.
“Then what?
Gold, jewels. You may take what you need from my armoury or my coffers mage. It
is yours in memory of the girl we both once loved.”
“Pah, you
insult me, you think I came here for riches? For paltry trinkets and coin? You
know me not Dryonas. A life for a life oh King on high, I am here for your
daughter, your stepdaughter to be exact. Not quite the same as true kin but as
it’s all you have.”
“My Malene?
You have taken leave of your senses old man, what in the black abyss makes you
think I would hand over my daughter to you? In fact give me one good reason I
shouldn’t have you run through where you stand.”
“One
reason? Yes, one.” The old mage raises his staff, the gem glowing bright now.
He slams the foot of the staff into the ground. The massive red beasts roars
and a cloud of
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