Omensent: Princess Of Dragons (Book 5) (30 page)

"Impressive." Bativa nodded in approval. "It sounds as though she has everything in Sevria well under control."

"You can say that again." The scruffy little man snorted. "She's has a gift for finding simple solutions for complicated problems. I've been quite impressed with how she's handled everything." He laughed. "She's even managed to teach a number of merchants the lesson that unsavory business practices are frowned upon in Sevria."

"How did you manage to do that?" Bativa asked Leia with a curious expression.

"I confiscated one of the local merchants' shops for spreading false rumors about other merchants, and for selling distinctly inferior wares to the people of Sevria at an outrageous price." The young girl shrugged. "I also banned him from returning to the city for a year."

"You didn't!" Bativa looked shocked.

"She most certainly did!" Sly laughed. "The guards marched him to the gates after stripping him of everything but his clothes and a few supplies!"

"You can't do that!" Bativa told her in disbelief. "
All
merchants overcharge for their wares! That's how they make their fortunes!"

"I know," Leia told him in a reasonable tone. "but I will not allow the people of Sevria to be cheated by some unscrupulous merchant who is only interested their gold. Merchants like that can give an entire city a bad reputation."

"She also quadrupled one of the caravan leaders' taxes for attempting to slip away without paying." Sly told Bativa with a chuckle. "He tried to bribe one of the gate guards into allowing him to pass without paying, but Captain Repheth stopped him before he could leave."

"What did do she do with the guard that was bribed?"

"She promoted him to Captain Repheth's assistant." The scruffy little man snorted, shaking his head in amused bewilderment. "I still haven't figured out her reasoning behind that decision."

"The guard was desperate to provide for his family." Leia informed him, dodging a pair of dwarves who crossed the crowded street in front of her. "Besides, Captain Repheth can be a hard task master. He'll make sure that the guard never attempts anything like that again."

They reached the center of the massive city the two days later, where they encountered streets packed full with cattle being pushed towards the enormous cattle pen that dominated the colossal city square.

"What is going on with all of the cattle?" Leia asked Bativa curiously, wrinkling her nose in disgust at the unsavory smell of manure which permeated the air.

"It's time for the spring auctions." The huge chieftain explained with a smile. "People from all over the world arrive in Mercedia to acquire our horses and cattle, sometimes by the herd. Enormous sums of money can be made and lost in the blink of an eye at the auctions. It's a great deal of fun to watch."

"We can always stop for the evening and check out the auction, if you're really interested." Sly suggested with a furtive expression.

"Not a chance." The young girl shook her head. "We're only here to speak with the council, and then we're going to return to Sevria, just like we promised Aunt Skie."

"But..."

"No buts, Sly." She told the scruffy little man firmly. "I told you before we left that the first time you tried to slow us down so you could peddle that ale of yours, I would pour it in the gutter."

"Okay, okay." Sly gave in with a scowl. "I just thought you might like to check out the auction. You don't have to start making threats."

"What's all this about ale?" Bativa asked curiously.

"Sly has been working on a recipe for an ale that he claims is the finest in the world." Leia explained with a roll of her eyes. "He brought a small cask of it with him in the hopes of taking some orders. It's the only reason that he wanted to come along."

"That's not true!" Sly objected. "I also wanted to make sure that you didn't get yourself into any trouble while you were here. This city isn't exactly the ideal place for a young girl to be wandering about unescorted."

"I'd be interested in sampling this ale." The huge clan chief told Sly with a interested expression. "If it's as half as good as you say, I may know of a few taverns and inns that would be interested in purchasing a few barrels."

"We're here to see the council," Leia reminded them tartly. "not to sit around and get pickled."

"The council has already adjourned for the day." Bativa informed her in a placating tone. "You won't be able to go before them until morning. We can stay in my private apartments until then, and Sly and I can talk business while we wait."

They continued to follow the huge clan chief through the crowded streets for another couple of hours,
until they finally reached a strange looking platform that was built into a tall shaft that disappeared into the upper levels of the fortress. Bativa gestured for everyone to step onto the platform, then calmly pulled a lever that had been built into the platform floor. With a groaning shudder, the platform began to rise up the shaft, slowly gathering speed the higher they rose.

"This platform will take us most of the way up to the council room." The Deola chieftain explained, noticing Leia as she looked around the platform with a puzzled expression. "It was built centuries before the upper levels of the fortress. It has a series of weights and counterweights that allow it to rise and fall, depending on which way you throw the lever."

"Clever." The young girl said in an impressed tone.

"It would have been more clever to extend its reach into the upper reaches of the fortress," Bativa frowned. "but the builders decided to leave it as it was. We can use it to reach my apartments, but it will not carry us all of the way up to the council chamber." He brought the platform to a shuddering halt a few moments later, and then led Sly and Leia to his lavish apartments.

Leia awoke early the following morning and emerged to find Sly and Bativa already in the opulent dining hall enjoying a breakfast feast which had been laid out on the table before them.

"I'm telling you, Sly," Bativa murmured to the scruffy little man. "You'll make far more gold selling it to every inn and tavern in Mercedia than you will by just selling it at a few hand picked locations. Once people get a taste of this stuff, you won't be able to brew it fast enough. And you know what they say, it's better to get a copper from a thousand different men, than it is to get a gold piece from ten."

"I understand what you're getting at, but I'll not sell my brew just anywhere." Sly told him in a stubborn tone. "The owners of the establishments will have to pay me handsomely for the privilege of selling my ale, which they'll gladly pay once they get a taste for themselves."

"Have you given the brew a name yet?"

"I was think of calling it 'Dragon's Reserve'. It has a rather nice ring to it, don't you think?"

"Are you two still going on about that ale?" Leia asked with a roll of her eyes. "Don't we have more important things to worry about right now?"

"
We
don't," Sly snorted in amusement. "but you do. Damion and Raven left
you
in charge of Sevria, remember? I'm just along for the ride. The responsibility of dealing with the council is your problem."

"Thanks a lot." Leia glared at the little man for a moment, then wandered over to take a seat at the table.

"You're looking a bit pale this morning, little one." Bativa noted, giving the young girl a concerned look. "Are you not feeling well?"

"I'm a bit nervous, I guess." Leia admitted, staring at the food before her with a nauseated expression. "I remember the last time that we went before the council. I was forced to sit there and listen to that insufferable ass, Krel, repeatedly belittle my father. It was all I could do to keep from going after him myself."

"We heard that Krel finally managed to get himself killed." Sly grunted, stuffing a strip of bacon into his mouth. "I guess we won't have to worry about him any longer."

"Don't celebrate too much." Bativa warned him with a frown. "Krel's son, Lek, has taken his place as Clan Chief of the Nacetre clan, and he's an even bigger ass than his father was, if you can believe that. You've already met Lek," He told Leia with an amused chuckle. "He was the warrior that you put on his back a few evenings ago."

"That arrogant piece of goblin dung was a member of the Deolan Council?" Leia gasped, her eyes wide with chagrin.

"Aye," Bativa laughed at the expression on the young girl's face. "but I wouldn't worry about that too much. None of the other council members can stand the sight of him, and they will all be delighted to hear about how he was put on his back by a young girl."

Sly shook his head in disgust. "Why is it that you and your father can't go anywhere without making a new enemy?"

"It's not my fault that he was being an ass!" Leia protested innocently. "Besides, my father would have done a lot worse than flip him out of his chair. He would have probably turned him into a carrot!"

"Don't worry about Lek or the other council members too much." Bativa assured her with a smile. "Remember, you're just here to deliver a warning about the dragonspawn gathering for war. You're not trying to negotiate for anything, so there is really nothing to be concerned about."

Sly suddenly grinned at her playfully. "And if they
do
give you any problems, just remind them that you are the Princess of Dragons. That is sure to get them to take notice!"

Chapter 11

"What do you have to report?" The silver haired elf asked the much younger elf as he entered the large manor house which had been constructed high up in the treetop city of Oakenvale.

"Etha Brody and Ava Delilah have returned from the southern continent with the Dragon Lord and several others." The young elf answered nervously. "He looks as savage as all of the stories say."

"And?"

"And they immediately went to take counsel with the queen. They were with her in the throne room for a while, and then the queen summoned Jenen Hollygrove, Elder of the House of Holly. It appears that the Dragon Lord was attacked by Jenen's son, Relvin, and another elf, while at sea."

"Attacked them at sea?" The silver haired elf asked, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the much younger elf. "How is that possible?"

"Apparently, Relvin and one of his childhood friends, Eldrin, somehow followed Ava Delilah and Etha Brody across the sea to the southern continent, and then waited for them to return with the Dragon Lord. They snuck aboard his ship before he departed for our island, then attempted to kill him once they were under way, but failed."

"That's interesting." The silver haired elf murmured, his brow furrowed in thought. "So they summoned the Elder of the House of Holly to question him about his son?"

"They did," The young elf nodded. "He was shocked to hear that his son had attempted to murder the Dragon Lord, and claimed to have no idea why he would do such a thing." The young elf hesitated.

"And?"

"And I should tell you that the Dragon Lord blames you for the attack. They believe that Relvin and Eldrin were followers of Hetris, and that you sent them to stop him from reaching the island."

"Is that right?" The silver haired elf didn't seem surprised by the news. "And what did Relvin and Eldrin tell them?"

"Apparently, Relvin was killed in the attack, while Eldrin only survived long enough to answer a few quick questions." The young elf informed him. "He died before revealing who had sent them."

"But they still believe that I was involved?"

"They do, my lord." The young elf nodded reluctantly. "They believe that you were trying to prevent the Dragon Lord and his companions from reaching the island so he could not aid Petra's faithful." He frowned. "And that's not all. Someone tried to assassinate him within minutes of their arrival here on the island. The assassin managed to escape without being seen, but the Dragon Lord and his friends are convinced that you are responsible for that as well."

The silver haired elf didn't reply, but instead, stared off into the shadows.

The young elf stared at the much older elf for several long moments. "So," He asked finally, unable to keep his curiosity contained any longer. "
Was
it you who sent Relvin and Eldrin to attack the Dragon Lord?"

"What did the Dragon Lord do after he met with Jenen?" The silver haired elf asked finally, ignoring the young elf's question.

"He and his companions followed Ava Delilah to the Temple of Petra, where a pair of our brothers had just performed the ritual of offering to Hetris."

"Yes," The silver haired elf let out a harsh laugh. "I ordered them to avenge our brothers who were recently killed by Petra's followers. I thought it was time that we sent a message that they would not be able to ignore." He laughed again, his expression savage. "Our brothers' act of loyalty to Hetris should rattle Petra's faithful. The dark god is certain to reward them for such a display."

"Lord Yrinn," The young elf started hesitantly. "I'm afraid that our brothers were killed not long after they reached the manor house at Pine Lake. The Dragon Lord and his companions somehow managed to follow them, although we're still not certain how."

"He tracked them to the manor house?" The silver haired elf's amused expression fell away. "That is unexpected. Didn't they take the normal precautions to avoid being tracked?"

"They did," The young elf nodded. "but the Dragon Lord still managed to find them."

The silver haired elf frowned. "Where is the Dragon Lord now?"

"He was last seen heading northeast towards Willowdale."

"Hetta." Yrinn grumbled with a concerned expression. "They have gone to see Hetta."

"The old witch?" The young elf asked in confusion. "Why would they go to see her?"

"They must believe that she knows something that would help them." The silver haired elf murmured, his eyes narrowed in thought.

"How could she know anything about Hetris or His followers? She's just an old elven woman who lives in a rundown shack."

"There is a lot more to Hetta than you may believe." Yrinn murmured absently. "She possesses the ability to speak with the spirits, and can even see glimpses of the future."