Dragon Ultimate (6 page)

Bazil kept silent. He was not about to praise Curf's work as a dragonboy. Nor would he complain, though there was plenty to complain about.

Curf clutched his hands a little nervously. "Well, I'll get my stuff packed up. I'll have to go back to the spare stall."

"Sorry, Curf, but that is the truth of it." Relkin stowed his pack on the shelf.

"I was going to suggest getting in some beer," said Curf as he was on his way out.

The dragon's eyes lit up at that suggestion. "Good idea."

"Be good to sing with everyone again."

"Yeah, I suppose so," Relkin muttered while still cataloging in his mind all the work he had ahead of him to get things back to shape. What he really wanted to do right then was take care of that scrape on his dragon's hide, then get out the brush and then take the joboquin apart. But he knew that the sentiment in the squadron would demand some kind of libation.

In short order the trip to the Legion Brewery was organized. Alsebra, Gryf, and Chektor were chosen by lot to fetch the barrels back, since after a pass of the hat in the unit they rounded up enough for three barrels of Legion Plain Beer.

Three barrels were just about enough, for ten thirsty wyverns could make short work of astonishing quantities of beer.

The wyverns were in a good humor that evening, and after the boil and the usual huge portions of noodles with akh they fell to singing all the old songs, with the dragonboys on the higher notes and the dragons rolling along, as usual, in their bass and deep tenor.

Visitors dropped in from all over the barracks. Dragonboys from the resident champion dragons, even the champion dragon himself, great Vastrox, came by for a moment to sing and chaffer with the 109th. He and the Purple Green had to be measured to decide which was the biggest, with the Purple Green ahead by a small margin when the measuring was done. Great hoots came from the 109th.

Then a toast was made to welcome Relkin back, and they all downed a mug.

General Hanth himself came by, as did two commanders from the First Regiment, First Legion, Prikkel and Leems. Captain Kesepton came to visit, and was joined there by his wife Lagdalen and their daughter, Laminna.

Laminna was a little wary of the giant wyverns. She had had dragon freeze once or twice, and was unusually quiet and subdued throughout the visit. Lagdalen pointed this out to Hollein, who grinned at her.

"We all find the limits to our powers of autocracy somewhere along the line."

They laughed together.

Throughout the singing and the welcoming Relkin kept up a cheerful exterior. He refused to dwell on the tedium of the last few months, sitting in rooms in Andiquant answering questions.

Cuzo came by early and officially welcomed him back, then joined in for a couple of songs before withdrawing. Cuzo knew the protocols well. It was right for the Dragon Leader to come by, but not to stay too long since his presence would inhibit the party.

Later, when they were sung out a bit, there were questions for Relkin about his travels. He answered as best he might. Swane was sitting near, with Rakama and Jak. Relkin drained his mug and leaned back.

"So, Quoshite, what were the witches like over there in Cunfshon? Lots of sweet novices? Bet they'd have gone for a dragonboy."

Relkin laughed with the rest of them. They all knew he was affianced to Eilsa Ranardaughter.

"Sorry to disappoint you, Swane. Didn't get to see many young women. Mostly saw old witches who asked questions the whole time. Not a lot happens in Andiquant at the end of the working day. They work night and day, they take shifts. It's a very serious place."

"What's Andiquant like?" said Endi. "Does the emperor really ride in a golden chariot?"

"No. It's all business there. Burn so many candles they have wagonsful brought in every day More scrolls than you can imagine. Wagons full of scrolls go by all the time. These buildings are really big, mind, bigger than anything on Foluran Hill. All offices of one sort or another. I slept in one part of it, I ate in a refectory with about three hundred others, and I answered questions in another part. I got to exercise and to visit a library. I read all the Argonath history. It's amazing, so much has happened here."

Relkin still had the awe in his voice that he'd felt the first time he understood just how huge and complex the history of the world Ryetelth had been. Relkin was unusual among dragonboys in that he could read well enough to enjoy it.

"Where do all the people live who work there?" wondered Endi.

"There's apartment buildings, all around the edge of the city. And others come in from outside the walls."

"Does the emperor have a big palace?"

"No. He doesn't even live in the palace building. He has an apartment nearby. It's a very nice apartment. Great views of the sea."

"You went there?"

"Well, yes."

"You visited the emperor himself?" said Swane.

"He invited me to dine with him on three occasions." Relkin said this as calmly as possible.

"Three times! The Quoshite's gonna be in the Imperial Family next!" said Swane loudly.

"I wish," said Relkin. "Or maybe not. They all work real hard. I almost think I'd rather be a dragonboy."

"See the world, right?" said Rakama.

They all laughed. They knew how true that one was. The 109th had fought on two continents and some islands in between!

"Three dinners with the emperor! What did you eat?"

"The first time we ate crabs dipped in butter. There was white wine and fresh rolls."

"Did you eat off gold plate?"

"No. Just white china."

"What did you talk about?" said Endi, who was always curious.

"What didn't we talk about, you mean. He's a great man, the emperor. You can feel it as soon as you're in the room with him. He sees very far, and he gets information from all over the world. He showed me a globe that has the world painted on it, a map wrapped around a world."

They were all boggled by this thought.

"The Padmasans are fighting the Czardhans in the west and there may be war with Kassim again. So when we captured Axoxo we raised the pressure on them to breaking point. The emperor is hoping to force Padmasa to sue for peace and end the war in his lifetime."

They were all staring at him, thoughtfully. Relkin had been on the inside of the high command. Had seen the global strategy laid out. Dined with the emperor three times.

"So you're just damned glad to be back with us," said Rakama.

"Right."

"Hey, well welcome back."

"Yeah, welcome back," said a chorus of voices.

They sang one more round, and the party broke up.

Later, in the stall, while he worked on the tattered joboquin, he and the dragon spoke in more detail of the months he'd been absent. Eventually Relkin got around to Curf and what had really happened. Bazil thought for a moment.

"Curf boy is unpredictable in some ways. Never know what side of the door he going to push."

"You survived though?"

"So did Curf. It was close once or twice."

Relkin could imagine. He'd heard about the joboquin disintegrating and causing Bazil's armor to fall to the dust in a drill.

"Curf not a dragonboy. He leave soon, he think."

So even Curf had realized he didn't have it to be a dragonboy. It was just as well. No dragon should have poor care.

Relkin was looking at the joboquin and whistling in horror to himself.

"You know, just about every strap here is loose and needs stitchwork."

Relkin worked away for a few minutes. Finally Bazil spoke again.

"And how is boy?"

"I survived, that's about all I can say."

"They ask questions?"

"Endlessly."

"Now it's over."

"I hope so."

Bazil absorbed this quietly. He hadn't thought too much about what it might mean to him if Relkin were sent to Andiquant permanently. Now he realized just how much he had come to depend on Relkin's planning for their life after the Legion.

"Anyway, I'm damned glad to be back here, and I'm really sorry that you've not had the best care these past months."

The dragon's eyes glowed softly. "This dragon thanks boy for his concern. This dragon very glad you're back."

Big talon, badly trimmed, was clasped for a moment by human hand.

Before he fell asleep, Relkin lay awake in the dark listening to the familiar sounds of the dragonhouse. The Purple Green was whirring and whooping in his stall across the way. Bazil snored with the deep, low, rumble of contented, well-fed wyverndom.

He was back. He prayed he was back to stay.

Of course he did have a mission that would take him away from Marneri. He had to get to Widarf somehow. With or without leave. He had to see Eilsa. All these months apart, worrying about her, reading her letters over and over, had left him with a burning need to see her. She had been getting better in recent months, but even a couple of weeks ago she was not yet sure if she could travel.

Relkin gave a silent prayer of thanks to the gods, and then another one to the Mother for insurance. He prayed that Eilsa slept well that night and was not troubled by dreams filled with fear and horror.

Later, he even slept himself.

The following morning he had a short visit with Dragon Leader Cuzo, who was warm and affable, apparently happy to see the famous dragonboy back. Cuzo confided that he thought Relkin would receive a promotion very shortly. A new dragon squadron was to be formed and it would need a dragon leader. Cuzo was sure that Relkin would get the post once the business with the looting charges was dismissed, as Cuzo confidently expected it would be. Relkin tried not to let himself get too excited by this news, but it was hard. They discussed Curf for a few moments, who was due for a review.

"Curf will transfer to the infantry, he says." Cuzo sounded pessimistic. "But I don't think it will make any difference. I think he should become a musician.

"Right, absolutely."

"We're back to ten dragons again."

"I have to meet the newcomers properly."

"The Purple Green has been bored lately. He wants an adventure."

"I would've thought he could have used a good long break. We've had our share of adventures these past few years."

"On considering the history of this unit, I have to agree with you, dragoneer, but the signs of restlessness are there."

"Are we going to Dashwood?"

"Tell the truth I don't know where we're going next. I don't think the high-and-mighty upstairs know what to do with us. We've been installed in Marneri as a near-permanent force, and there was a long argument about breaking the unit up."

Relkin had wondered if such a move might follow after the various incidents of total insubordination, verging on mutiny, that had scarred the squadron's reputation with the high brass. Dragon units could not simply get up and roam off on their own accord.

"I'm glad to say they gave that idea up. The survival of the 109th Marneri has come to mean something all over the Argonath."

"Nice to know that someone cares. We been through a lot, all right."

"They also tried to have the Purple Green dismissed from the Legion. Some trumped-up thing about his weight and moody disposition."

Relkin sat up, surprised at this. Someone in the High Command really had it in for the unit.

"It ran out of steam. General Tregor spoke up on His Lordship's behalf at a Command Meeting, they tell me."

"They dropped it?"

"Pretty much, but we have enemies up there. What happened in Aubinas didn't quite go the way some of the powers that be wanted it to go."

"It's hard to accept. Are they traitors?"

"I don't know. I don't even know who they are really, apart from Heiss of the First Legion."

"He's the one who brought this case against me."

"Right. Which reminds me. You put in for leave this morning to visit your attorney. Leave granted."

Not long afterward Relkin headed down Water Street under blue skies in which occasional white clouds drifted north. Lagdalen had become a sort of independent Crown Attorney. Her authority came from the queen, who allowed her free rein on the suggestion of Lessis of Valmes. Lagdalen's office had grown to fill an entire building on lower Water Street, with a dozen young attorneys in that building, and several young women of high family volunteering to write up documents and keep the files. It was a hive of industry.

Relkin got a warm welcome when he walked in. The receptionist came out to take his hand, and Lagdalen greeted him with a hug. Back in her office he took a seat across from her desk, which was buried under paperwork. She searched in a scroll box for a few moments.

"Ah! I have good news for you." She pulled out a scroll.

He saw the seal and recognized the ornate "W" of Wattel and his heart leaped in his chest. His fingers broke the seal nervously and he read the scroll and felt his spirits finally soar. Eilsa was coming to Marneri. She would be there in two days. He told this to Lagdalen.

"Oh, that is such good news. Thanks be given for her recovery. Widarf is a beautiful place, Relkin. You should visit it yourself someday. It has a magic about it that is gentle and healing."

Relkin remembered that Lagdalen had spent some time there, recovering from her experiences during the great invasion. "I hope that I will. It has been good for Eilsa." He looked back to the message.

"Once she's here in the city, she will stay on Foluran Hill, as before. Her Aunt Kiri will be her chaperone once again. Kiri has also been staying at Widarf." Relkin looked away, and muttered, "And I hope it helped her mean old soul."

"Now, Relkin. That woman is not the sour apple you imagine her to be. She has a sense of humor. I think she even likes you, in a strange way."

Could some of Aunt Kiri's venom toward a certain dragonboy be drawn? It was nice to imagine the possibility. The problem with the Wattels was that he was just an orphan, and Eilsa was the heir of Clan Wattel. Until she married him, of course. Then the title would pass elsewhere in the clan.

Relkin forced himself to smile. Eilsa said she wanted only to live with him and raise a family together. She wasn't concerned about the leadership of the clan.