The Dragon' Son (32 page)

Silence reigned in the cave for a moment as Keegan mulled it all over. It was fascinating and sobering to think that Walneff had been part of a set of events that linked to part of Keegan’s childhood.

“How long ago did that take place, Pharrgon?” Keegan looked up from his hands to the dragon’s eyes.

Pharrgon stared at Keegan for a moment, his gaze solemn and weighty as he thought back to those days and measured them with time. “Over three hundred years ago did the purging of the Dragon Plains happen,” he finally answered.

Keegan looked back down at his hands and tried to imagine what it must be like to live for hundreds of years. “And, how does Walneff, a three hundred year old man, know me? When we first met, he said that he knew me.” He looked up at the dragon curiously.

Pharrgon sighed. “He has also told me this, though what it means, I cannot say. The words of a Dayspeaker can have many meanings.”

There was silence again as Keegan tried to recall from his childhood any memory of Walneff. “I don’t ever remember…” he paused and mouthed Walneff’s name as he fingered his ring. “Master…Master Walneff Felnost.”

Pharrgon cocked his head. “How did you know Walneff’s ancient name?”

Keegan looked back up at Pharrgon, and an image from his past flickered across his mind of his family sitting at the table, listening to his father and Braden tell of their adventures in their last dragon hunt together. “My father, our last night together. How could I have forgotten?” He looked down at his ring and brushed his forefinger over the gold dragons. “My father mentioned meeting a person called Walneff Felnost. Now that I think about it, I remember hearing the name spoken by several members of our village, my mother included.”

Pharrgon hummed softly in his throat and nodded his head. “Ah, I suspected as much. Your family, I think, would have known him well, though not as well as the dragons.” The dragon shifted his position slightly, tucking his legs in closer to him, and stretching his neck out toward Keegan. “I hope that this information will help you to better understand Walneff. He did not choose to be a Dayspeaker, but he serves willingly. He has suffered much, and much of what he has suffered only makes him understand your pain all the more. His desire and his goal is to help you grow and prepare for what is to come.”

Keegan raised his head. “What do you mean by this, Pharrgon? Help me grow and prepare for what? What am I to prepare for?” He was somewhat surprised to see Pharrgon’s expression change to surprise. “I mean, Walneff lectures me, pesters me, and is constantly giving me the impression that I am being tutored.” Keegan thought of the nightmares he had been having.

“What is there that you do not understand, Keegan?” Pharrgon asked, looking intently at the young man with gentle concern and puzzlement showing in his eyes.

Keegan studied Pharrgon’s questioning stare for a long moment, trying to understand what it was that was really puzzling him. He thought of how he and Walneff had talked about the old prophecies, and disinterest, even disgust, washed over Keegan.

He shook his head and looked away. “Oh. Never mind. I am just confused and troubled about many things. That is why I had to come see you. I had to get my thoughts in order.”

Keegan stood to his feet and walked up closer to the dragon, placing his hand on the smooth scales of the dragon’s face. Pharrgon pushed his nose into Keegan’s chest, and Keegan wrapped his arms around Pharrgon’s snout, soaking in the warmth and comfort that the dragon offered. As he tried to push all his troubled thoughts away, an image of the Princess Erewhon came to his mind, scattering all of his feelings a hundred different directions and muddling all of his thoughts in with them.

Pharrgon raised his head from Keegan’s grasp and looked down at him quizzically. “I feel a strange new set of feelings in you. They confuse you terribly. Please tell them to me.” He pushed his nose into Keegan again. “The last time I felt such a strange mixture of emotion, I was a younger dragon, and it involved a female.” He raised his head again and cocked it until he was almost looking sideways at Keegan.

Keegan groaned, “Well, it involves a female. But I don’t want to talk about it.”

Pharrgon looked Keegan directly in the eyes with a persistent stare.

Keegan tried to stare back at the dragon with equal intensity but finally relinquished with a sigh. “Fine. I will tell you. But I might get angry, turn red, and start shouting,” he warned.

Pharrgon snorted. “Impress me,” he dared.

Keegan took a moment to collect his thoughts and put them in order. Then he began to tell Pharrgon about the Princess Erewhon and the dreams she had been in. He explained how he was easily intimidated by her, but how her presence, her smile, or her kind words could make him feel capable of doing anything, but then when she was near him or looking him in the eyes, he would feel weak and suffocated.

“I hate it! It makes me so angry when these feelings attack me. They are distracting and make me feel vulnerable. I don’t like them one bit.” Keegan sat down from pacing with a huff.

Pharrgon chuckled deep in his chest, making Keegan look at him crossly. “It’s not funny,” he said to the dragon.

Pharrgon looked at Keegan with bright, twinkling eyes that showed a mixture of pride, merriment, and mischief.

Keegan crossed his arms uncomfortably. “Pharrgon, why are your eyes sparkling like that?” he asked suspiciously. “You’re looking at me the same as you did when I caught my first white buck.”

Pharrgon chuckled again. “You amuse me, little one,” he said. “You truly do not know what these feelings are that you are experiencing?” he asked.

Keegan shook his head, letting the worry he felt show on his face. The only time Pharrgon called him “little one” was when Keegan was learning something new and important or when the dragon was feeling particularly fatherly. In this case, he felt like it was going both ways.

Pharrgon raised his head. “Well, good. That makes it less distracting.”

Keegan shook his head in confusion. “Less distracting?” he asked

Pharrgon smiled, the mischief glinting in his eyes more than before. “Take comfort in knowing that you are controlling these feelings well. However, don’t start hating them. They are not evil.”

“So, you are not going to explain them to me?” Keegan asked.

Pharrgon lowered his head to Keegan’s level. “No, I am not.”

Keegan rolled his eyes. “Great. Another quandary I am stuck to figure out on my own.”

Pharrgon raised his head. “Perhaps it is not what a human father would do, but I believe that if you cannot understand these simple emotions, then I do not need to try to explain them to you. It would do no good. You will come to understand when the time is right.”

Keegan sighed and stood. “I hope so.” He glanced out the cave mouth and down at Ardor who nibbled at the moss on the rocks. “I must return to the castle,” he admitted hesitantly.

Pharrgon breathed in deeply and then snorted, “Regrettably, I must agree. I smell an odor on the air that bodes ill. You must return to the city before nightfall.”

Keegan looked at Pharrgon in concern. “What do you smell?”

The dragon sniffed again. “I am not sure yet, but it troubles me.” He looked down at Keegan. “Go now, and be cautious.”

Keegan stepped up to the cave mouth and blinked in the overcast sunlight. He jumped down to the ground, untethered Ardor, flipped up on the horse’s back, then began guiding him carefully through the maze of boulders. Once out on the open beach, Keegan gave Ardor his head and let the stallion take off in a dead run. He kept Ardor closer to the water line so that their tracks would wash away and no one could follow them back to Pharrgon’s hide out.

Keegan was glad he had been able to speak with Pharrgon, and even though it was just for a short span of time, he felt revitalized now. He was also glad to have learned more about Walneff. He was almost sorry to have judged the old man for his grumpiness. If anyone had a reason to be grumpy, pushy, or odd, Walneff did.

When Keegan felt that he was a safe distance away from Pharrgon’s hiding place, he slowed Ardor to a gentle trot then to a walk, wanting to take it easy before they had to climb the rolling green hills again. He looked behind his shoulder and saw a giant storm cloud to the north, near the mountains, steadily moving toward the south. He could smell the moisture that was already dropping at the northern tip of Lake Anuran. He hoped that it would drop rain on the southern tip of the lake to cover the tracks and scents that led up to Pharrgon’s cave. He knew the dragon was quite capable of taking care of himself, but he didn’t want Pharrgon to be forced to defend or expose himself.

Keegan snapped out of his line of thought when he sensed a familiar, disturbing presence that made the hair on his neck to stand on end. Ardor tossed his head and laid his ears back, showing his discomfort as well. Keegan tightened his grip on Ardor’s reins, remembering the time he had felt the same disturbing presence not too long ago.

“Roshar…” Keegan hissed and hunkered down closer to Ardor, urging the horse into a gallop. Ardor snorted and gladly moved into a paced gallop, keeping his eyes alert for danger.

Gradually, the disturbing presence dwindled, but Keegan did not slow down. He gave Ardor his head and let the horse gallop full speed, flying up and over the grassy hills. Keegan did not understand why such monsters were now at large and what could have provoked them to start wandering the land, but he did not want to linger and find out.

Chapter 17: Two Hearts

A loud voice boomed from the palace walls, announcing Keegan’s return. Erewhon looked up from her scroll that she was reading underneath the lesson tree, the place where she and Annaka usually studied together. Annaka dropped from the top of the tree, causing a
thud
on the ground beside Erewhon.

“Annaka, it is not ladylike to jump from the tree,” Erewhon sighed, reminding her once again.

Annaka hardly paid attention to what her sister said but instead watched the opening gates intently. “I am so glad that he has returned. I was beginning to worry about him,” she said as she watched. “Not that I think that he couldn’t take care of himself,” she added.

Erewhon nodded slightly and turned back to reading her scroll. Keegan and Ardor trotted through the gate and started directly to the stables.

Annaka looked down at Erewhon and smiled. “I think he is the most handsome man I have ever seen. Wouldn’t you agree, Erewhon?”

Erewhon’s face showed distraction, and she glanced at her sister then back at the scroll. “I’m sure I wouldn’t know,” she replied quietly, unrolling more of the scroll so she could continue to read.

Presently, Keegan came marching out of the stables and past the girls. He gave a slight bow as he passed the two, smiling at Annaka kindly, but his eyes were flickering to and lingering on Erewhon for a moment until he turned his face forward and continued on his way.

Annaka smiled and knelt down beside Erewhon. “He is very handsome,” she said slowly. “And strong. And very good.”

Erewhon stopped trying to look like she was reading her scroll and slowly turned her face toward Annaka with knit brows and narrowed eyes that were full of simmering suspicion.

“He is also very gallant and chivalrous.” Annaka made a gesture toward Keegan. “And you are very beautiful.” Mischief twinkled brightly in Annaka’s eyes as her smile grew.

“Annaka. Stop it,” Erewhon said as she rolled her scroll up tightly, her eyes trained on her little sister.

“I think you two would be a beautiful match!” Annaka said as she stood.

Erewhon swatted at Annaka with her scroll and got to her feet. “You asked for it, you little match maker!” she said as she swatted at Annaka again and again.

Annaka shrieked with a giggle and ran around the tree, trying to avoid her older sister’s flying scroll.

“Your Majesty!” called a voice through the trees.

Erewhon and Annaka stopped in their tracks and listened as the captain of the guard came around the bend in the little stone path.

The captain smiled at them. “Forgive me for shouting, but I could not get your attention,” he bowed and looked at both of them. “It is time for your archery lessons.”

Erewhon caught her breath “Oh, yes. I am sorry. I completely forgot about them,” she said as she felt her cheeks redden.

The captain smiled reassuringly to her. “Princess, with all due respect, it is all right if you occasionally forget some things. You are not expected to be flawless.”

Erewhon smiled at him, feeling a remarkable wash of relief at his words. “Thank you, sir. Your encouragement is a relief to me,” she said.

Annaka bounced on her toes slightly. “Shall we go now? I do enjoy my archery lessons very much.” She looked at the captain.

The captain nodded at Annaka and turned, leading the two girls down the narrow, winding path through the trees toward the clear practice grounds near the stables.