The Dragon' Son (34 page)

Keegan stared at Saul for a long moment, seriously considering cuffing his friend in the chin.

“And what is it that you are doing, other than wasting time?” Walneff’s question made Keegan and Saul both look at the old man approaching them from the back of the stable.

Saul pointed at Keegan. “I think he was just about to hit me, and all because I made a remark about a girl.”

Keegan snapped his head back to Saul. “It was more than just about a girl!” he snarled.

Walneff cleared his throat. “Well, I feel inclined then to remind you, Keegan, that I think it would be most unwise to hit Saul at this time, since he is still healing.”

Keegan looked at Saul more closely and took in the color of his bruised face and the scabs at his scalp where the monster had sank its claws.

He relaxed and let out a heavy sigh. “You are right, Walneff,” he admitted and crossed his arms over his chest.

Saul let his shoulders slump forward, and he looked at Walneff. “Ah, now, did you have to break it up before it even started? I was just starting to have fun,” he protested.

Keegan pointed a finger at Saul. “Oh, don’t worry! I’ll exact payment at a later date. You had better start watching your back. I’ll think of something to get back at you.”

Saul brightened up and smiled wryly. “Good!”

Keegan smirked and gently clapped Saul on the shoulder. “Well, if you want to have some fun, why don’t you go out into the city with me? I know of a few places that I think you would enjoy visiting.”

Saul nodded. “Sure. Why not?” He turned and looked at Walneff. “Would you join us, Walneff?” he asked.

Walneff shook his head. “No. I will stay here and do something useful,” he said blandly.

Saul raised his hands defensively. “Hey, now. Don’t start giving us a guilt trip before we’ve had our fun.”

Ardor whinnied from his stall down the hall and bobbed his head up and down expectantly at Keegan. Keegan smiled and moved up to Ardor’s stall. He ran his hand up Ardor’s face and combed his fingers through the stallion’s bangs before producing a carrot from his pocket and feeding it to the horse.

“How was your friend?” Saul asked, coming up beside Keegan and leaning on Ardor’s stall rails.

Keegan looked at Saul. “Friend?” he asked, looking back to see Walneff step up closer to listen in.

Saul nodded. “Yes, the friend you said you were going to visit near Lake Anuran. How was he?”

Keegan turned back to Ardor. “Oh, that friend. Yes. He was well,” He paused and looked at Walneff, “though he was certain that I had brought trouble with me.”

Walneff raised his chin and bushy eyebrows slightly, but Saul chuckled. “You are trouble. So it should be no surprise.”

Keegan snorted good-naturedly. “I suppose. But still, we were able to catch up and have a good conversation before I left. And no trouble had sprouted up yet.”

“Ah. Well, the trouble probably came after you were gone,” Saul teased.

Even though he had only meant them in fun, Saul’s words made Keegan’s gut twist.

“There may be more truth in those words than you know, Saul,” Walneff spoke up, obviously sharing Keegan’s line of thought, though he spoke the words in a way that told Keegan that Walneff had warned him of the possibility.

Keegan turned to Walneff. “Let’s hope not. Though, if you have a premonition of otherwise, let me know,” he said, reflecting on the things that Pharrgon had told him about Walneff, especially his being able to see the future.

Walneff narrowed his eyes and studied Keegan very carefully for a moment before speaking. “I don’t need premonition where common sense will suffice.” He turned on his heel and began hobbling toward the doors of the stable. “Be careful in the city, and don’t do anything stupid,” he called over his shoulder just before disappearing around one of the doors.

Saul and Keegan were both silent for a moment until Saul sighed. “You and Walneff seem to have an interesting relationship,” he commented.

Keegan shrugged. “Oh, well. It doesn’t matter,” he mumbled.

“Are you sure about that?” Saul asked. “I mean, perhaps our paths will be splitting ways soon, but Walneff has taken a special interest in you for some reason. I can tell.”

Keegan looked at Saul. “Really? How?”

Saul shrugged. “Oh, he and I have had several conversations about you just to pass the time. I can tell from those.”

Keegan narrowed his eyes suspiciously and looked at Saul. “Conversations about me, eh? And what exactly did those conversations deal with?” he asked.

Saul grinned and shrugged. “Many things. Mainly your annoying traits,” he said.

Keegan couldn’t really tell if Saul was joking or only partially joking, but he assumed the latter. “Annoying traits! What annoying traits do I have?”

Saul spiked an eyebrow. “Do you really want an answer?”

Keegan chuckled. “No! Don’t answer that question.” He stepped away from Ardor’s stall with a sigh. “Well, shall we go? We have a few hours to explore the city before tonight’s feast.”

Saul pushed off the stall rails. “Yep! Let’s go.” Then he paused. “Oh, wait! Before we leave the stable, I want you to meet someone who will be traveling with us.” He motioned for Keegan to follow him.

He led Keegan three stalls down from Ardor’s where a draft gelding was stabled. The gelding was chestnut in color with a flaxen mane and tail. A white blaze ran down his face. He perked up when Saul came up to his stall, and he put his huge head over the rails and bumped his big nose playfully into Saul’s chest.

“Aha!” Keegan said in surprise. “One thing about it, he hasn’t missed any meals,” he noted as he looked at the gelding’s large girth. “Did you trade the mare in for him?”

“Yes. I told Geoff that there was a great possibility that the mare was going to have a colt sired by your stallion,” Saul said with a motion toward Ardor, “and he nearly jumped at the chance to make the trade.” He stroked the gelding’s white blaze with a smile.

Keegan ran his hand along the thick, muscular neck of the gelding. “Isn’t this the big horse I saw causing trouble the other day?” he asked suspiciously, wondering if Saul was just prone to picking out the trouble makers among horses.

Saul nodded with a grin. “Yes, it is. But he’s not like the mare when it comes to causing trouble. The men have a hard time controlling him, because he is so energetic. He is going to be perfect for traveling, and Geoff said that traveling and work are all the big fellow wants to do,” he said as he rubbed the gelding’s forelock. “His name is Tormad.”

Keegan patted the horse on the neck. “Well, I can already tell he is more laid back than the mare. I think he’ll be a fine trekker for you.”

Saul chuckled and roughed up the gelding’s hair. “I am glad you think so!” He stepped away from the stall and nodded his head toward the outside. “Well, if we want to waste some adequate time before tonight’s banquet, we had better hurry along.”

Keegan chuckled and clapped Saul on the back, and the two of them marched out of the stable and toward the gate. The guard opened the small door in the gate and let the two men pass through.

“So, what did you have planned first?” Saul asked.

Keegan chuckled. “Do you have money?”

Saul nodded in answer.

“Then let’s just pick a street and start there!” Keegan laughed.

Keegan and Saul made it back to the palace after the sun had set, and they made their way up to their rooms.

“My feet ache!” Saul said with a groan, chuckling afterward.

“Well, I told you that dancing with the gypsies might not be a good idea,” Keegan laughed. “They can dance from dawn till dusk and never tire.”

“Ah, but it was worth it,” Saul retorted, his eyes twinkling. “She was an excellent dancer and pretty as well.” He was lost in sweet thoughts of the evening, tossing a small stone from hand to hand.

“I had a sneaking suspicion that there was more to your sudden desire to dance than just ‘bounding energy and itching feet’,” Keegan smirked.

Saul shrugged. “Well, I couldn’t very well just announce to everyone my real intentions.”

They reached the third level and walked down the corridor toward their rooms. Keegan paused and clapped Saul on the shoulder.

“Well, then, freshen up, and I’ll meet you downstairs,” Keegan said. He started to walk down the hall but then paused at his door and turned around with a grin. “Oh! And tonight when the gypsy girl sneaks into your dreams, I hope you have a good explanation to give to the Susun that you have been sleep talking about lately.”

Even though it was dark, Keegan thought he could see Saul’s face grow a shade darker in the shadows. He didn’t have a chance to stare long, though, because Saul chucked the stone at him.

“Pay back!” Keegan yelled as he ducked inside his door and bolted it. He listened at the door for a moment until he heard Saul’s door slam loudly down the hall, then he moved over to his table with a smirk, feeling quite proud of his comeback.

He stripped off his shirt and draped it over the chair, unfolding his new tunic and slipping it over his head, tying it at his waist with his new leather belt. He dusted his pants off with his hands, combed his fingers through his scraggly hair, yanked through a few knots, and walked back to his door. He stepped out and closed the door quietly behind him then made his way down the corridor and to the stairs.

When he reached the ground level, he turned down the dimly lit corridor toward the sounds of laughter and talking coming from the dining hall. Suddenly, a man stepped from a door into Keegan’s path, spread his feet wide, shoulders squared, and raised his hand toward Keegan. Keegan froze in his tracks, tightening every muscle, readying himself for an attack of some sort. He curled his fists and watched the figure carefully. The man was completely hidden in shadow, his cloaked silhouette only barely outlined by the flickering light of the torches further down the hall.

“You have traveled with one called Walneff,” said the stranger in a deep voice. “Take heed and hear my warning: pain and misery accompany Walneff. If you continue to travel with him, the peaceful life you seek will be all but ripped away from you. His presence will cause your past to revisit you with renewed horrors. His words will fill your future with unrest and misery.” There was a pause and silence for a moment before the figure added, “Beware. Walneff means you ill.”

Keegan straightened his shoulders, comparing this stranger’s words of woe to Pharrgon’s words of trust concerning Walneff. “I don’t know who you are or what you intend to achieve by speaking ill of Master Walneff, but your warnings are not welcome and will likely not be heeded.”

The man took a step forward. “Then you are a fool,” he said evenly.

“Is there a problem here?” Saul’s voice echoed in the hall.

The shadow did not move. “Beware. You will see the meaning of my warnings...all in due time.” With that, he turned and disappeared through a door. The
clank
of the bolt being secured echoed through the hallway.

The last words of the stranger shook Keegan. They were the words that had rung in his mind since his dream of the woman and the beast in the crystal room that had come after the attack of the Roshar.

Saul came up beside Keegan and placed a hand on his shoulder, making Keegan flinch. “Keegan, are you okay? What was that about?” Saul asked.

Keegan nodded and ran his hands down his tunic, feeling exposed without his dagger, which he had left back in his room for the feast. “I’m fine. And I don’t know exactly what that was about, but the sooner we leave this place, the better,” he said with a nod of his head.

Saul removed his hand and looked around the dark corridor. “Who was that?” he asked.

Keegan shook his head. “I don’t know. I don’t think he meant any harm, though. Let’s just get into the dining room, shall we?”

“All right,” Saul said with a shrug.

They made their way down the corridor, stepping out into the inner courtyard that sat in the heart of the square-shaped palace. A lone pedestal with a sundial atop it sat in the middle of the dark courtyard. Across the yard from Saul and Keegan, a pair of double doors stood open, letting torchlight, sounds of laughter, and the scent of food flood across the yard.

The two walked across the courtyard and past the sundial, pausing at the open doors to let their eyes adjust to the bright light. Two long tables stood parallel to Saul and Keegan, laden with food and surrounded by smiling people. Several couples danced gracefully on the open floor at the end of the two long tables while the King’s table, which was up on a pavilion that overlooked the rest of the tables and floor, sat at the helm. Keegan spotted Walneff standing on the other side of the room near a door, smoking a pipe while watching the dance.